


Role Reversal

by androidkisser



Category: NieR: Automata (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Healing, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-07 10:23:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11056977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/androidkisser/pseuds/androidkisser
Summary: 9S wakes up from maintenance feeling a little different.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> IT'S A SECRET  
> Just kidding, it's 9S/6O.
> 
> I'll be taking my time with this one, but adding chapters at a fairly steady pace, because I have a lot I want to write about, and a lot of things to address.  
> If anyone's wondering why I do so many different pairings - it's not that I support a particular pairing, but it's because I like exploring how different characters interact with each other, and how they'd help each other deal with their own specific problems. Sometimes they're interesting, sometimes they go nowhere - but it's fun for me to write about regardless.
> 
> Please leave me a comment if you have the time, I write for the feedback from all of you friends, not just the hits or kudos! (o^▽^o)

_NFCS: inoperable. Not found._

_FFCS: inoperable. Not found._

 

The boy stirred in his bed, his eyes cracking open the tiniest bit, his visual feed full of errors.

 _Huh..._ he thought. Had he woken up during maintenance? Was it incomplete? No, these were his quarters – and he was very much alone. The artificial lighting was switched off, leaving him feeling disorientated. He tried to initialise a self-hack to take a better look at things, but found himself unable; he looked down at himself, and saw he was in his off-duty gear, a simple white shirt and loose, black pants.

“Okay,” he said out loud, in an attempt to calm his rising pulse rate, as he sat up and perched on the edge of his bed. There had to be a reasonable explanation for this.

The rational part of him considered going to 2B's room – perhaps she was privy to what had happened to him.

 _But no, wait_... What was his last mission? Was it with her? Was he alone? Had he forgotten to upload his data? No, that last thought didn't make sense. He wouldn't even remember there _being_ a mission, if that were the case.

It was no longer a consideration – he'd at least get a straight answer from her, and that's what he needed most of all right now.

He didn't even bother putting his boots on – he was in such a panicked state, as he ran barefoot through the Bunker's seemingly never-ending corridors, all kinds of terrifying thoughts running through his head. Did they plan on removing him from service altogether?

He pressed the request access panel on 2B's room door, then waited. No answer.

He pushed a second time, and then a third. Still, nothing. He slammed his fists into the door, then sank to the ground on his knees.

“What's wrong?” came a calm voice from behind, and also above him.

He craned his neck – it was his operator, 21O, although she was dressed differently than usual.

“Oh... no, it's just... I was hoping to speak to 2B, to see if she knew...” he trailed off, turning over and resting his back against the still-closed door.

“To see if she knew...?”

“There's – there's some problems, and my body isn't as it should be, and I don't remember things, and –”

21O looked at him with narrowed eyes, and tilted her head to the side, at an almost imperceptible angle.

“I'm not entirely sure if she would appreciate that sort of a wake-up call, for a start,” she said flatly, before asking him something that took him aback, “and secondly, when was the last time you checked your personal mail, 9O?”

“What does that have to do with – wait, what did you just call me?”

“You haven't checked it in over _three months_?”

“I mean, it's not like I – no, but really, what did you call me?”

“This'll please the commander...” muttered 21O, mostly to herself. “All personalities are currently being cycled through roles other than their defaults, 9O. If you had paid even the slightest bit of attention to the many, many notifications and reminders, you would know that personality 9 is being trialled in the operator role this month. It's also perfectly normal to not have full access to all of your short term memories after a reconfiguration.”

9S – O? – looked up at her, disbelief painted across his features.

“No kidding...”

“No, 9O. No kidding.”

“Huh...” Well, at least there was an explanation.

“I suppose this means you didn't see any of the information I put together for you,” she said, sighing. “It isn't really something you can brush up on in a day, either.”

“Wait, you mean – wait, today?”

“Yes, 9O. Your first assignment is _today_.”

“Whoa, no way,” he said, getting to his feet. “No way, even my visual feed's still throwing up errors, and –”

“Then I suggest you head to maintenance and get it seen to,” she said, sounding positively exasperated at this point. “You won't have time to read everything, so I'll ask one of the other operators if they have time to assist you, until you find time to go over it.”

“Wait, you won't be here?” He raised his eyebrows. If she wasn't going to be in the command room, where _was_ she going to be?

“Someone had to volunteer to fill in for you,” she stated, simply.

“You – you're going down there?”

“Personality 21 has been utilised in the Scanner role many times before, 9O.”

“So I'll be _your_ operator, huh... but wait, weren't you always saying you had no interest in going to Earth?”

“Interest does not come before duty,” came the reply, her eyes focused on nothing in particular. “Are you on speaking terms with any of the rest of the team, other than myself?”

9O thought hard for a second. Only one seemed to come to mind.

“I guess... I guess 6O, but –”

“Oh, wonderful. That'll be interesting.”

He pondered asking why that'd be interesting, but didn't get a chance to, before she started walking away from him.

“Hey, wait, uh – have you worked with 2B before?”

She turned on her heel to face him again.

“No, but I don't think there'll be any issues. We discussed things earlier on, and shared combat data,” she explained. “Although, the data from your end was less than useful.”

“Huh? Why's that?”

“It seemed like you overwrote the permissions of that area so you could store more personal data there,” she said. “There was barely an hour of combat to analyse.”

“Uh, you didn't look at that stuff, right?”

21O smirked, for perhaps one of the first times he'd ever seen.

“No,” she said, “of course not.”

“Great,” 9O whispered.

“At any rate,” said 21O, “I will talk to 6O for you. Make sure you check in with her before you even think of sitting in your seat.”

“Yeah, yeah, sure,” he said, still reeling a little from the shock.

“One affirmation will suffice,” she stated. “Oh, and 9O? Make sure to pick up a uniform from maintenance, when you visit.”

His mind flashed briefly to the full body-stocking, and he opened his mouth to protest, before realising it wouldn't do any good.

“Alright,” he said, resignedly, the panic having faded entirely. “Take care down there, will you?”

“Roger that, 9O.”

 

**

 

He took a deep breath as he stepped into the command room. It somehow felt a lot more oppressive than the last time he was here.

6O's seat was somewhere to the right of the room, but he didn't quite remember where – luckily, or unluckily, depending on how one looked at it, she was vigorously waving at him with both arms from her seat, drawing the attention of nearly every other operator in the room directly to him. He groaned softly, as he made his way over to her work station.

“Hey, 9S! Uh, I mean 9O! Um... I guess I have to call you that now, right?”

“Don't suppose there's any chance of you sticking to 'Nines', is there?” he asked, somewhat dejectedly. '9O' still felt very alien to him.

“Oh, sure thing, Nines!” 6O replied cheerfully.

“Thanks,” he said quietly, praying the rest of the operator team would get bored of the novelty soon enough.

“Aw, no problem! Anyways, you didn't quite get your veil on right, it's uh – it's gonna get in your mouth that way... lemme fix it for you real quick!”

She stood up, rearranging the circular headband on top of his head, and snapping it into place properly.

“All fixed! The uniform suits you, too,” she said, beaming at him.

“Oh, uh... thank you,” he mumbled. “So, what did 21O say to you?”

“I guess she's 21S now! But, uh, only that you're entirely clueless, and super likely to make her tear her own head off if she ever _actually_ needs anything,” 6O replied, still smiling.

“That's nice,” pouted 9O. “Anything relating to the mission?”

“Well, since I'm working with 2B, I can kinda cover anything they might need in a pinch – so don't worry _too_ much about it,” she said, doing her best to sound reassuring. “I already set some stuff up so you can watch my setup from your own work station – you're smart, so you'll pick it up quickly!”

9O's eyes opened wide. She really had gone to a lot of effort.

“Aw, don't look so surprised! I'm actually good at my job, you know?”

“Oh, no, it's not that, I'm just... thanks 6O, really.”

“You'll be fiiine,” she said, patting his arm lightly, before swivelling around in her chair. “They'll be arriving at the factory soon, so let's be ready, alright? If you need anything, there's a direct chat link too, so you don't have to keep coming over.”

 

**

 

_**YoRHa chat console v8.2** _

[ _… Establishing Connection …_ ]

[ _… Connection Established …_ ]

[ _… Direct Link Established …_ ]

 

_Participants:_

_YoRHa Unit 9O_

_YoRHa Unit 6O_

 

 _9O:_ Hey, 21S wants more detailed map data for the area, but I don't have it

 _9O:_ She says it should be there and I should look harder but I really don't see it

 

 _6O:_ oh maybe you don't have permissions?? that's totally what it is, they didn't give you – gimme a sec (*´▽`*)

 

 _9O:_ Uh, what's that

 _9O:_ Is that a face?

 

 _6O:_ aren't they the cutest?? I made them myself (─‿‿─)

 _6O:_ anyways, your permissions should be done now

 _6O:_ try now

 

 _9O:_ Okay, I got it

 _9O:_ Thanks!

 

 _6O:_ any time!!

 _6O:_ (but really they're like super cute right?)

 

 _9O:_ Yeah, super cute

 

 _6O:_ ehehe (o´▽`o)

 _6O:_ okay!! I gotta see what 2B wants, lemme know if anything else needs fixing

 

[ _… Disconnected …_ ]

 

**

 

“See, it didn't go that badly, did it?” 6O asked, nudging him in the side with her elbow.

“I mean, no, but... you did everything for me, pretty much,” he said, vaguely attempting to swat her arm away. “Not that I mind, it's just... if you weren't around, I'd be a liability, you know?”

“Aw, no,” she said, giggling, “you did just fine! It was your first day, don't be so hard on yourself!”

“Thanks,” he said, forcing an uneasy smile. “Guess I'd better get to reading those notes 21O – uh, 21S left me, then... none of it makes sense though, there's all these weird terms and expressions she used, you know? She never makes it easy for me...”

“Want me to go through it with you?”

9O turned to her as they walked. She really was endlessly helpful.

“Would you? I wouldn't ask, but uh, they seem pretty serious about all this personality trialling stuff...”

“Yeah, of course! You have it all saved to your personal storage by now, right? I can just come by your quarters later, I worked with her long enough to be able to decipher her mess.”

“I'll see you there, then,” he said, smiling properly this time.

 

**

 

The soft _beep_ of the 'request access' panel went off a few hours later – he had been organising the files into categories, as best as he could. There were so many, he wasn't sure he even had the storage available to take all of the information on board. He had managed to grasp the basics, though, and he was fairly confident that he could handle the simple map data and unit information requests without any outside assistance now, at least.

He approved the request, and 6O peered inside his room.

“Hey!” she said, cheerily, waving a grey panel at him. “I brought my own console, so we can go over stuff properly.”

“Oh, great! I can just send all these to you then, I spent forever sorting them out, so we wouldn't have to waste time...”

They moved over to the desk at the far side of his room, underneath the small window on the wall. He sat on the chair; she pulled off her boots and curled up next to the desk on the bed. He turned his console's screen to face her, so she could see what she had to work with.

“Someone's been busy with their homework,” grinned the girl. “Really though, it's good you care so much! Half the team is just so lazy these days, I seriously wonder how like, any of their combat units even get anything done, you know?”

“Seriously?” He echoed, unintentionally.

“Yeah! I mean, I can get a little lazy sometimes... but 2B usually never asks for anything, so it doesn't matter so much, right? Hmm...”

“What's up?”

“Oh, it's just... you'd never need to know half of this stuff, so I'm like, not really sure why she put it in with the basics of each area...”

“That... sounds like something she'd do, yeah.”

“Well, doesn't matter! I can take you through it anyways, it's no problem,” she said, booting up her console.

They sat in silence for a while – she typed at a surprisingly furious pace, while he worked on trying to sort out what seemed impossible to decipher, and what was at least semi-understandable information.

“Hey, what's this talking about? 'Multiport serial server connections'?”

“Oh, um... well, it's kinda complicated to explain, um... I mean, it's not super important, but maybe...”

“Oh, if it won't come up, don't worry,” the boy said, mildly disappointed. Even if it wasn't _necessary_ , he was still curious.

“Aw, I don't mind explaining if you really wanna know, Nines,” she said. “It's like when you connect to our direct chat, right? Except you can use it to link our servers directly with your combat unit, and if you're _real_ good at intercepting transmissions, you can like, send your combat unit data that you transcribe on the fly – like...”

He sat and listened intently. 21O had never been willing to talk him through the processes operators used to get him the data, or how they used his, so this was a new and wholly exciting experience for him.

“...so that's _basically_ the gist of it! I hope that made sense?”

“Oh, yeah – but it's probably boring for you to talk about your job so much though, right?”

“Mm, not really? I mean, I don't really get to talk to many people anyways outside of work, so...”

“Really? That's a surprise,” said 9O, his face turning curious again.

“Yeah, I mean I...” she paused for a second, looking contemplative, before laughing a little. “Let's not get into that right now though, okay? We have a lot of stuff to get through, and I'm not gonna spend all night talking about myself!”

“Right,” he said, making a mental note to ask her again at a later point. They worked for a few more hours, as she explained various concepts to him, and how to make the system do what he actually wanted it to do, without directly interfacing with it as he would've done with his scanning modules.

“So um... the rest of the stuff, we can work on another time, since you probably won't have to deal with it right now – if you want to, anyway?” She asked tentatively, slipping her boots back on.

“Yeah, of course!”

“Ah, that's so cool that you're interested... I never knew you were so curious about all this stuff,” 6O said, a light giggle leaving her lips again.

“It gets on other peoples' nerves, usually,” he said, laughing himself. “They all tell me I need to cut it out, especially 2B.”

“Hmm...” she said, looking him over. “Well, I think it's nice, and like, I don't think you should try to change it... anyways, I'll see you when your next shift starts! I'm gonna go back to the command room for a bit, there's some things I wanna fix up on your work station – and then I gotta see if 2B needs anything, and _then_ I'm heading back to my room.”

“Don't work too hard,” he said, as she gathered her things together and almost skipped towards the door. “Hopefully I won't have to bother you as much tomorrow.”

She smiled as the door closed behind her, and then she let it fall from her face.

“I wouldn't mind if you did...” she said, sighing quietly.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a lot of dialogue to get right, but I do nyot regret it  
> I don't have much to say here except ✿✿✿✿✿✿ 
> 
> Enjoy, let me know if you like, hate, the usual!

The next week passed without incident, for the most part – 9O became steadily more proficient at handling 21S's requests, and even started asking for some of her own data to supplement his own. He still regularly asked 6O for help, and he didn't always manage to send things over to 21S quickly enough for her liking, but he was doing _better_.

His smug introspection was interrupted by the soft _beep_ at the door again, followed by a muffled, “it is time for your regularly scheduled contact, unit 9O”.

He smiled, already swiping the accept command. 6O lightly skipped in as usual, tossing off her veil and flopping straight onto his bed as the door closed.

“You did so good today! 2B was even telling me all about how 21S was proud of you, and how she wouldn't shut up about it...”

“I wish she'd tell _me_ that,” he sighed.

“Oh c'mon, you know that's not her style... she'd totally die of embarrassment if she had to say it to your face! Besides, it doesn't make a difference when you know she's thinking it, does it?”

“I guess not,” he said, one side of his face still a little annoyed.

“I'm proud of you too, you know!”

Her words didn't really get through, though. His head was tilted back, staring at the ceiling, as he sucked air through his teeth absent mindedly.

“Hey, are you even listening? I said I'm proud of you,” she pouted, reaching out and poking his cheek with her index finger.

“Huh? Oh, sorry,” he said, snapping out of his reverie. “Well, I mean thanks, but you should be more proud of yourself for getting me to this point, don't you think?”

“Hmm... maybe I helped a little, but no, still proud of you,” she said, a small smile creeping onto her face. “It's weird, though... after last night, you know we're actually all done with her notes, right?”

“Huh... seriously?”

“Yup! All done, assuming you committed it all to memory,” she said.

“Yeah, I did, but it doesn't come quickly enough, I don't think...”

“Aw, it'll happen... you'll get used to accessing the data really soon! But um... there's something I wanted to ask you, actually.”

“What's up?”

“Since we're done and all, I guess I don't really have a reason to come by here every night, right? So...”

She had known it'd come, eventually. The night before, she had savoured every single second of explaining things to him – watching his face light up as she gestured with her hands, or sometimes illustrating her points on the screen in front of her. As she had left for the night, she felt more forlorn than usual, knowing that she probably couldn't visit her new friend nearly as often as before.

“Do you need a reason to hang out with me?”

With that small handful of words, he assuaged all of her worries in one fell swoop.

“I... uh, haha... I guess I don't?”

She breathed out, as subtly as she could. He didn't seem to notice.

“Actually, there's something I've been meaning to ask you too,” he said.

“Oh, really? Now I'm interested,” she mused, rolling onto her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows and cupping her face with both hands.

“I really don't mind you coming by – actually, I really like it, so don't take this the wrong way, but – last week, you said you don't really talk to anyone else outside of work...”

“Oh, that,” she said, drawing the corners of her lips into her cheeks.

“I was just wondering why that was – I mean, it's just... you don't seem like the loner type, you know?”

“Hmm...”

“If you aren't comfortable answering, it's okay,” he said hurriedly, “I was just –”

“– curious, right?” she said, smiling at him with her eyes.

“Yeah,” he said, smiling back, a little sheepishly.

“It's just how I am, you know? I'm just too excitable, I talk too much, and like, people get put off by that... I guess it can be a little overwhelming?”

“I don't think it is,” 9O responded, earnestly. “I'm not just saying it to be nice, or because you helped me, I just really don't see it...”

“Well, we're pretty similar in the end, you know? I mean, a nine is just a flipped six,” she said, giggling.

“Maybe there's something in that...”

“Hmm, well, either way, I have a few friends, but they're all mostly planetside these days... we don't get a lot of chances to talk,” she said, a little wistfully.

“I'm sorry,” he said. As he thought about it more, he didn't really consider himself to have many 'friends', either – he couldn't say he had a relationship with 21O outside of working together, and 2B – well, 2B was 2B, and he'd never be able to figure her out. This was probably the first time he'd had someone to share his interests with, and talk about things that weren't related to YoRHa business. “If it helps, I think you're great, and fun to be around, so...”

“Aw, thanks. Like, really, thank you, it means so much to hear it when I know someone means it...”

“Well, anyway, you're always welcome to come by whenever you like, so don't overthink that stuff, alright?”

“Fiiine,” she said, notes of relief echoing through her voice, as she flipped over again onto her back. “Hey, do you think they're doing okay down there?”

“Yeah, I think they'll be doing just fine,” he replied. “Why d'you ask? Something she said?”

“No no, nothing like that, it's just... she just went straight down there, you know? No complaints, nothing... you said she didn't even ask you about your role at all, right?”

“Yeah, but I always figured she knew what I was doing better than I did,” he said, laughing. “Seriously, I wouldn't worry about her. If you want to be worried, you should worry about 2B – she's so used to being the one in charge, I just... man, I can't imagine her around 21O.”

“Hmm... maybe you're right about not needing to worry, but like, I think they'll work it out between them, you know? 2B is kinda passive, actually – she totally only takes charge because you'd never do it if she didn't,” said 6O, giggling.

“Aw, come on, I take charge sometimes...”

6O suddenly cleared her throat, before putting on her best impression of 2B, which was scarily accurate.

“ _You'll have to wait for that data you wanted, 6O, 9S ran off to investigate the thing I totally told him not to go investigate!_ ”

“Hey, that's so not fair...”

“ _6O, hold on, 9S totally got caught up scanning this other thing I said not to go near, and he just set off like a million alarms!_ ”

“Man, I don't even want to know the conversations you guys have about me,” he said, looking just a little put out.

“Aw, it's nothing like what you're thinking... besides, it's just how you are, so it's fine!”

“Alright, I believe you...”

“Good,” said 6O, beaming again. “While we're on the subject, though, like...”

“Yeah?”

“Does 21O... ever talk about me?”

“Hmm... well, she asked if you did what you said you would, so I told her all about how nice you were to me –”

“Aw.”

“– and that you were a great teacher, but other than that...” he paused for a second, thinking. “Nothing I remember, nope.”

“What about before? When she was still in your seat?”

“Huh? Oh, I mean... no, I don't think...”

“It's okay, I just wondered,” said 6O, looking thoughtful. “I'm kinda glad, actually! I'm always paranoid she hates working with me – since like, we're always sharing a lot of stuff with each other and talking a lot, you know?”

“I... I don't think she'll ever quite understand you, but she has a lot of respect for you and the work you do, I know that much,” he told her. He was happy he could ease a couple of her fears.

“That's good,” she said, breathing a sigh of relief, openly this time.

“Man,” said 9O, stretching, “I think I have to head back soon already... the hours on this role sure do stink.”

“Yup! 2B said she won't need anything for a few hours, so I'm free to do what _ever_ I want,” said 6O smugly, relaxing on his pillow.

“Yeah, yeah, rub it in...”

“ _One affirmation will suffice, unit 9-_ ”

“Jeez, enough with that voice already! It's bad enough from the real thing...” he said, trying to keep a straight face.

“Okay, sorry, sorry. Won't happen again. Pinky swear.”

“Uh... pinky what?”

Her mouth opened wide, and her hand seemed to automatically move up to it to cover it

“You don't know what a pinky swear is?!”

“I'm... sorry?”

6O pushed herself up from her reclining position and sat upright, crossing her legs, her hands resting on her knees.

“Okay, so, it's like – it's this thing that humans who were really close friends did, right? When they wanted to make a promise that would be absolutely one hundred percent totally and completely unbreakable,” she began, looking extremely excited.

“Uh-huh...”

“You just link these two fingers, but like, you should only do it if you absolutely totally trust the other person, because of the seriousness of it – if you break the promise, you can _never_ be friends with that person _ever again_...” she said, in a faux-ominous tone.

“That sounds... dangerous,” said 9O.

“I mean, supposedly, the first people who did it, if they broke the promise, they'd have to cut off that finger!”

“Okay, this sounds less dangerous than that,” he said, cringing a little. He wasn't a fan of losing limbs, extremities, or anything else in between.

“I mean, this is such a silly thing to do it over, but... you trust me, don't you?”

He looked from her extended pinky finger to her practically glowing eyes, and then to her wide smile.

“Yeah, I trust you... just don't go cutting off anyone's fingers, okay?”

“Ehehe, of course not, Nines,” she replied. 9O extended his own pinky finger and wrapped it around hers. “I promise I won't mess with you like that again!”

He looked down at their hands.

“That's it?”

“That's it!”

“Huh...”

“Well, I just wanted to do something to show I'm glad to be your friend, you know? Even if it is stupid...”

9O smiled at her.

“No, it's nice, really. It's not stupid,” he said, in reassuring tones. “I'd better get going, though... you know how she is.”

“Haha, I totally do...”

“You're welcome to stay here if you want, I don't mind if you –”

“Oh, no, I'm going back to my quarters!”

“Huh? Why's that?”

“So I can talk to you through my console...”

“Oh, right.”

“We can't have you being all like, 'ohh... I hate being an operator... it's just the worst... my life is so hard now...' before you even finish your first week, can we?”

“I guess we can't,” he replied. It was true, though – if it hadn't been for her, he probably would have been begging to be reconfigured back to a Scanner model by now.

“Alright, I'll talk to you in a little bit then,” said 6O, walking over and giving him a hug from behind. “Hey, Nines?”

“Yeah?”

“You're pretty great, too.”

He turned a little pink; he was thankful she couldn't see his face. Her warmth felt comforting against his back, and he was almost a little sad when she let him go to leave the room. As the door closed behind her, he let out a small sigh.

“Just a flipped six, huh...”

 

**

 

_**YoRHa chat console v8.2** _

[ _… Establishing Connection …_ ]

[ _… Connection Established …_ ]

[ _… Direct Link Established …_ ]

 

_Participants:_

_YoRHa Unit 9O_

_YoRHa Unit 6O_

 

_6O:_ hey! so, how's she treating you? (´ ∀ ` * )

 

_9O:_ Hey

_9O:_ I swear, she's just keeping me here because she can

_9O:_ She even said as much

 

_6O:_ haha, aw!! you didn't get an easy first assignment...

_6O:_ it's okay though, just another couple hours and we can hang out some more if you want

 

_9O:_ Sure, yours or mine?

 

_6O:_ let's do mine, we always do yours!

_6O:_ and you haven't even seen my super pretty decorations yet ✿✿✿✿✿✿

 

_9O:_ Alright, I'll be right over as soon as I'm free

_9O:_ This base is just FULL of slave drivers, you know that? I thought working with just the Commander was bad, but this...?

 

_6O:_ who knows, maybe I am too... I'm just totally hiding it super well ( ˘ ɜ˘) ♬♪♫

 

_9O:_ Please don't even joke about that...

 

_6O:_ joke? who's joking...

 

_9O:_ You're just a bully

 

_6O:_ aw, sorry...

_6O:_ I'll make it up to you later!! I've got some cool stuff you'll enjoy looking through, I promise (*/▽＼*)

 

_9O:_ … Fine

 

_6O:_ good! I'll see you then, I'm gonna head to maintenance real quick

_6O:_ don't let her bother you too much, okay? you know she doesn't reaaally mean it...

 

_9O:_ Alright, I won't

_9O:_ See you soon

 

_6O:_ yup! ヾ(☆▽☆)

 

[ _… Disconnected …_ ]

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *makes a kissy face in the notes and leaves*

9O stretched in his seat, finally free from 21S's tyranny. She and 2B had decided to rest in the Resistance camp for the night, rather than continue their mission immediately, so that they could analyse where to go next. 9O had been more than pleased with this outcome, as it meant he wouldn't have to put up with another four hours of 'where is my map data', or 'is this the highest resolution we have?', or sometimes even 'never mind, we went in blind, you took too long'.

The other operators on the team had come to be on nickname terms with him, at least, so he didn't feel like he was such an outsider any more. The two girls working behind and to the side of him, 5O and 11O, had both approached him that day to tell him he'd be missed once the month was out. Their desk-to-desk chatter kept him sane when 6O was too busy at her console, or having time to herself.

He'd miss them too, he thought. Truth be told, he wasn't really missing much from his time spent on Earth. It was nice to feel the breeze on his face, or the heat of the sun beating down on him from on high, but he was able to ignore that, in part thanks to the company he was keeping. 21S largely understood and empathised with his natural curiosity, and was usually willing to send him any additional data he requested, so long as it wasn't entirely out of the way of the mission area. It wasn't first-hand information, but it was the _same_ information – did it really matter if he got there first, if he could learn about it anyway?

He tried to open a direct chat link with 6O, but found there was no response.

_Huh..._ he thought. _Oh wait, she probably isn't back from maintenance yet..._

He said his goodbyes to 5O and 11O, and took off at a fair speed. He really was glad to see the back of the command room today, despite everything.

He pushed the request access button on 6O's room door, but found it was already open. Strange, he thought – wouldn't she lock the door after leaving, at least? Was she that trusting? At any rate, he knew she wouldn't mind if it was just him. He strode inside, took off his veil (which always made his head itch), then began to slip off his boots. He still hadn't gotten used to the full body-stocking, but he also didn't really care any more. Everyone told him he looked fine in the uniform, and so he had started believing them.

After discarding the unnecessary parts of his uniform, he decided he'd return the favour and make himself comfortable on her bed. He flopped backwards, his head landing squarely on the pillow.

The first thing that hit him was the smell. It reminded him of his time on Earth, which felt so far away already – and then, more specifically, it reminded him of the scent of running through field after field of wildflowers. Her whole room carried the same scent, but the source seemed to be her bed. However she'd managed to do it, it was a very pleasant smell, and made him appreciate her tastes.

The second thing he noticed was the pillow itself – she had embroidered the white fabric with various shades of pink, green, yellow, and red, with some black here and there. As he turned over onto his side to look, he realised that four of those colours were woven into the petals of flowers he'd seen on Earth. The black he saw was actually lettering – she had sewn her own designation into a corner of the pillow. She really was proud of her job, and he secretly hoped she'd never have to leave it, even for the same month that he had to.

His thoughts were interrupted by the _beep_ of the door opening – he saw 6O standing there, and he prepared an enthusiastic greeting, before he saw that she was standing stock still in the doorway. He heard her sobbing before he saw it on her face.

“6O? 6O! Are you okay?” he asked, leaping to his feet as the door closed behind her. He pulled her into a tight embrace, feeling her lean her weight on him instantly. Her arms remained by her side as he held her.

“Nines... th-the worst thing... happened...”

“Tell me,” he said, simply, without letting go. He was a little shorter than her, without his boots and with hers still on, but he still held her tight around her ribcage.

“I... I was in maintenance, I went there to s-see one of my friends I was telling you about, and...”

“Hey, come on... sit down, and you can tell me all about it, you can't stand here...” he said gently, leading her to her bed with one arm on her back and the other supporting her front. He could feel her legs shaking underneath her.

She didn't just sit down – she pushed herself to the far side of the bed and curled up, holding her folded arms over her face as the sobs continued to wrack her body.

“6O...”

“It's... Nines, it's...”

“You can tell me, I'm here,” he said, doing his best not to let seeing her in this state upset him too.

“My friend... 7B,” she began, shakily, still not lifting her head. 9O swallowed hard. He had a horrible, sinking feeling in his stomach. “She was on a really long mission, and... we didn't have contact with her for a couple of weeks...”

He reached out, and put his hand on her shoulder gingerly. She suddenly felt so tiny, and so fragile.

“...a-and then, today, we found out that she had – that she had... I mean, it wasn't so bad, because well, everyone messes up sometimes, right? They'd just back her up, and it'd be fine... but...”

She took a deep, rattling breath, trying to steady herself. He said nothing, not wanting to rush or pressure her.

“...anyway, um... well, I went to maintenance, and they told me – they told me they couldn't salvage her m-memories...”

“I thought you always could, if you backed up...” He couldn't help himself. He wanted to say _something_ that might comfort her. Something that made it better.

“That's the thing,” she said, lowering her arms, revealing her tear stained face, “that's exactly what I said to them, but they told me... she hadn't backed up in seventeen days, and then... then...”

“What happened?” he whispered, softly.

“She had a logic virus, and tried to... tried...” 6O broke down again, soaking her pretty little pillow.

9O knew exactly what had happened. Her friend had tried, desperately, to back up her self-consciousness data to the Bunker as she lay dying, apparently unaware that uploading corrupted data would simply render all of the previous data unusable.

She looked up at him again, and knew from the look on his face that he understood.

“She doesn't remember me at all, Nines... she thinks we just met...”

“I'm sorry,” he said. It felt like such a weak thing to say. How could just two words possibly help?

“I'll be okay... it's not like we can't just explain things to her, but... it's just not the same, you know? All of those memories... it's not like you can just – you can't just h-hand them back...”

“I know,” he said, “I know...”

“Sorry, I know you've b-been through the same thing yourself,” she said, sniffling.

“Whoa, hey, who cares about that,” he blurted out. He knew she was talking about the first time he'd ever met 2B, at the factory, when he hadn't managed to upload his own data, after uploading hers. His hand was lightly rubbing her shoulder now. “You're important right now, so never mind that stuff, okay?”

“You're so nice to me,” she said, before starting to cry again. He didn't tell her to stop, and he didn't tell her to calm down. He simply kept stroking her arm, whispering to her that it was okay, and that she could let it out as much as she needed to.

“I'm not going anywhere,” he said softly. “I'll stay as long as you want. Pinky swear.”

She half-giggled at his statement, between sobs.

“Hey, y-you can't say that without the fingers...”

“Right,” he said, holding his out for her to take. She simply looked at it for a minute, before pushing herself up a little and resting on her elbow, bringing her almost up to eye level with him. She took his finger in hers, and closed her eyes, as he repeated, “I promise, I'll stay with you.”

She didn't let go of his finger, and so he didn't pull it away. She tugged on it lightly with her own, as if she were testing the strength of his grip, then used it to pull herself closer to him, as he tensed his arm to compensate for the weight of her using him to balance.

He looked at her tear-stained face, that still had the remnants of a smile on it. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. He smiled back at her, as she closed her eyes.

And then she kissed him. His eyes opened wide, as her lips gently pressed against his. He felt her tears fall between their mouths, but she didn't seem to notice, or care. Their fingers were still around each other, and she wrapped the rest of her hand around his, caressing the underside of his wrist with her thumb with the utmost tenderness. He didn't know how to react, and perhaps it showed, as she pulled away, opening her eyes to look at his expression.

“S-sorry,” she said, looking away. “I shouldn't have – I took advantage of... how nice you were being...”

He said nothing, still trying to process it.

“It totally wasn't the time, I'm sorry, I – I'm sorry, p-please don't be mad,” she said, her voice shaking, and more tears sliding down her red cheeks.

“I'm not mad,” he said calmly, after a pause, “I'd never be mad, but...”

“It's just, you're the first person who actually cares, and... maybe that's why, but... I – I still shouldn't have –”

“Please, don't overthink it,” he said, as soothingly as he could manage, holding her hand between both of his. “You're upset, and your emotions aren't... I mean, I'm not trying to tell you how you feel, but...”

“I'm sorry,” she said again, lying back down on her side, her hand still held between his.

“It's alright,” he repeated. He'd say it as many times as she needed to hear it.

“If you want to go, I understand...”

“I didn't forget what you told me, you know,” he murmured.

“W-what?”

“If you break a pinky swear, you can't be friends again... and I'm not about to lose you, so...”

They both knew he was just trying to find a way to stay without making her feel uncomfortable; they both just needed that excuse to tell themselves that they could ignore what had happened, for now, at least.

“You won't,” she breathed, choking back another bitter sob.

“I guess I'm staying, then,” he said with an air of finality, lying down next to her, facing the ceiling.

“Th-thank you, Nines...”

“It's alright,” he said, again. “Your pillow is really pretty, you know?”

She snorted against her will, then coughed softly, before she allowed herself to slip into rest mode. He didn't mind. He knew it wasn't the time to discuss it, after all.

He ran his tongue softly over his lips.

He could still taste her.

 

**

 

He awoke alone on top of her bed. 6O had neatly piled up the pieces of his uniform for him on the chair, and had his console switched on, facing the bed from the desk. His visual feed took a minute to adjust, but soon enough, he could make out the message she had left for him.

 

_sorry I had to leave... my shift was earlier than I thought. I hope you rested well! thank you for being there for me last night, even though I... well. we can talk about that later. I won't have much time to chat today, and neither will you, I think. they're going a little deeper into the factory today, so... anyway, really, let's talk about it later. please. have a nice day, okay?_ |･ω･)

 

He sighed. He wasn't even sure what he made of it himself, yet. He didn't want to hurt her, but he also didn't want to assume that there was anything else behind it other than her emotions getting the better of her. Did he even want there to be anything else behind it?

His reaction to his own thoughts was to push his face into her pillow, hard. It was still a little damp from a few hours ago, but it still smelled the same. He decided he'd stay that way for a while.

 

**

 

“9O, I requested that information more than three minutes ago,” came 21S's voice from his terminal.

“I'm doing my best, the information on this place isn't exactly well-catalogued...”

“Do you at least have the elevator locations?”

“Yeah, sending them over now,” 9O replied, doing his best to keep the frustration out of his voice. Despite 6O's assistance with the subject of finding older data on the servers, some of it truly was a mess – there were no location tags, no IDs, nothing.

“Thank you,” was all she said for a while.

He leaned forward, chancing a glance in 6O's direction, across the divide. To his annoyance, the elevator not being in use blocked her station from view entirely.

“9O, we need you to use the data that we collected on the enemies we found here, and cross-reference it with any existing data on similar units.”

“Can't 6O –”

“She is currently working with 2B to analyse their attack patterns. They are quite unlike any others we've fought so far.”

“But I'm still looking for that other data you asked for...”

“Has she even talked you through this?”

“Don't put this on her,” he hissed, more hostile than he intended. “If I'm slow, it's on me, okay?”

“Is everything alright up there?” she asked, suddenly sounding a lot less clinical.

“Sorry,” he said quickly. “There's just...”

“I understand I'm asking a lot, 9O. However, that is simply what your role entails. Whatever the issue is, don't forget that you have two people down here relying on you.”

“Yeah, I know...”

“We'll wait until we get the data from the both of you. 21S out.”

He sighed loudly. He really hadn't meant to take it out on her, but knowing that 6O was still doing her job as best as she could, despite yesterday, made it hard for him to let anyone put her down. He forwarded everything to 21S as he got to it, making sure to send a copy to 2B just in case, too – he had been working on scouring the records again, when something took him by surprise in the centre of his screen.

 

[ _… Connection Established …_ ]

[ _… Receiving Data …_ ]

 

[ _… Attachment: AbFac2717N …_ ]

 

_Sender: YoRHa Unit 6O_

_Recipient: YoRHa Unit 9O_

 

here's that map data she wanted – try to keep it together for a little bit longer, okay?

｡ﾟ(｡ﾉωヽ｡)ﾟ｡

 

[ _… Disconnected …_ ]

 

He had forgotten that 6O would get a transcript of everything he said to 21S, too. He felt ashamed for being unable to keep it together, while she continued as normal – he wasn't even sure why it was messing with him this much. It was just one kiss, in the middle of an emotionally charged moment. It didn't mean anything. He was just feeling protective of her, after seeing her so distraught. That was all it was.

He heard the elevator, and looked over, without really thinking. He saw her look up from her station, and caught her eye. She gave him a tired, weak smile – only just barely visible through her veil – when she saw him, and his black box skipped a few pulses.

That wasn't all it was.

 

**

 

They both managed to get to the end of the day – the mission was largely a success, leaving an exhausted 2B and 21S to make their way back to the Resistance camp, slowly. He knew that since they'd be resting for a time, both he and 6O would both be free for at least a little while now, so he had decided to hang around outside the command room door, rather than heading back to either of their quarters right away.

She was finished with her last few duties sooner than he'd expected, and he had to tap her on the arm so she wouldn't walk right past him.

“Oh, hey...”

“Hey,” he replied, feeling a lump in his throat.

“Mine, or...?”

“Yours,” said 9O. “If that's alright,” he added.

“Of course it's alright, silly,” 6O said softly. “Hey, um... about earlier, with 21S...?”

“Sorry, I just –”

“Don't apologise, I just didn't like to see you that way, that's all...”

They walked the rest of the way in silence, their arms occasionally brushing against each other, though he made no effort to put any distance between them, and nor did she.

As they sat down on the side of her bed, next to each other, his pulse rate quickened again. Her hand found its way on top of his.

“I didn't mean to make you this... well, the way you were today,” she began. “I didn't do it to like, mess with you or anything – I mean, I'm still not sure why I did it in the first place...”

“I think I like you,” he interjected in a mumble. “I thought about it pretty much all of today. That's why I was being so slow.”

“Nines... if you're just saying it just to spare my feelings, it's fine, I really don't...”

“Do you really think I'd lie to you like that?”

She looked into his eyes, before shaking her head softly.

“No, I don't... sorry, I didn't mean anything by it.”

“I need to know, though, before I make an ass of myself,” he began, taking in a deep breath. “Was it just because you were upset, and I was there?”

He had phrased it as simply as possible, to avoid any misunderstandings. He had to be sure.

“No,” she replied, quietly. He wasn't used to her talking so directly, and it caught him off guard a little.

“Do you want us to be... more?”

“I... hmm...”

He thought of the lingering taste of her lips on his own. He thought of the scent of her pillow. He focused on the soft touch of her hand that was still cradling his own at that very moment.

“I think I do,” he said, slowly, pushing that lump in his throat as far down as he was able to. He leaned closer to her, wanting to push his arm against hers again, just to feel her warmth.

She didn't move, but she sounded a little nervous when she spoke next.

“You don't think it's... too soon? I mean, it's been great, and I... feel something with you too, but I don't want you to feel pressured because of me, or –”

“I don't know,” he said, echoing her sentiments. “All I know for sure is that... well, looking at you makes me excited, and I remembered the feeling of your lips for hours after they left mine, and being with you in your room makes me feel more comfortable than I've ever felt in my life, and I hate seeing you hurt, and...”

“Mm... Nines?”

“Yeah?”

“Never mind my last question,” she said, pulling him towards her, and kissing him again – only this time, her lips weren't just softly pressing against his, nor were they the only lips taking an active role – 9O exhaled deeply, even through the kiss, as he allowed himself to explore hers.

She tasted exactly as he remembered, and he wanted more of it. He lightly teased the space between her lips with his tongue, imploring her to let him inside, and she obliged, her cheeks turning a few shades of pink darker with every passing second. He ran the tip of his tongue over the inside of her lips, savouring how she let out a little breath every time he brushed over the centre of the bottom of the two.

He was the one to pull away, leaving her looking like she was about to ask him for more.

“Even if it is 'soon', I mean...”

“No no, really, ignore that, I – I was just being careful, I totally don't think it is... I mean, it's a war, isn't it? If any of us can find something like this, shouldn't we grab hold of that feeling as soon as we can?”

He looked at her pretty little features with a kind of intense gaze she hadn't seen on his face before – it was almost as if he was still in his Scanner role, working his eyes over her face, analysing her as if she was an old world painting.

“Yeah, we should... but I don't want things to change, I just – I just want to be closer to you, and learn more about you, and –”

“I don't see a problem with that,” she breathed. “I want the same, too...”

“I just can't believe it's like this after a week,” he said, smiling, their faces still close enough to feel each others' breathing.

“Apparently, it wasn't totally unheard of for humans to declare their undying love on the first day,” she said, before hastily adding, “oh but – but that's not what I – no no, I wasn't –”

The boy just laughed softly, a beautiful, reassuring sound to her ears.

“Relax,” he whispered, “you're getting all flustered.”

“Whose fault is that...” she replied, leaning back in to taste him again.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh great, now I have to make it Explicit agaaaain...  
> Two more chapters to come.

He woke up first, facing her. She was still in rest mode, her eyes closed, her mouth slightly agape. She made soft noises from time to time, each and every one of them making his internal temperature rise a little.

He ran the fingers of his left hand down the bare skin of her arm tenderly, the fingers of his right still tightly entwined with hers. He had never really considered the physicality of being this close to someone; he had always just thought of his body as 'a scanner's body', and others as 'an operator's body', or whatever their designation happened to be. It wasn't until they had spent the majority of their time together that day just holding each other, that he realised that it wasn't that way at all – that this was _his_ body, and that was _her_ body, and they each had nuances and preferences.

He pulled himself closer, feeling her warmth against him. They still had a couple of hours before they were due at their posts, and he didn't intend to waste a second. She was wearing her long off-duty shirt, and nothing else; he was wearing only a pair of loose shorts.

He allowed his hand to wander to her hair. It was the first time he had seen her without her braids, and he felt special to be allowed to see her this way. He ran his fingers through the soft, blonde locks, over and over again, even as he felt her begin to stir next to him.

“Hey,” 9O whispered, watching her light blue eyes flutter open and remain half-lidded.

“Oh... that feels nice,” 6O whispered back, feeling his fingers in her hair.

“ _This_ feels nice,” he said. “Really nice.”

“Mm,” was all she offered in return, letting her own free hand traverse his upper body, her fingertips trailing over his chest, almost counting his ribs. A soft moan escaped his lips, and he wondered if he would ever get used to the sensation of someone else touching him this gently. Her hand wandered further south, caressing his smooth, taut stomach with her palm. He leaned into her further still, his head resting on her shoulder, against her neck.

The boy let his hand slip from her head, his nails dragging delicately down her neck, before he started toying with the sensitive skin just below her shoulder blades.

“Nines?” she asked, softly, breathing heavily.

He mumbled an affirmation into her skin.

“Did you ever... like, you know...”

“Go on...?”

“Did you um... request... _that_ from Command?”

His breath hitched, just briefly, as he felt her fingers dip into the waistband of his shorts.

“Well, s-solo missions get boring, and there's a lot of downtime between them, so...”

“I see,” she replied quietly.

“What about you?”

“Mm, no... I never had a reason to,” she said. “What do you think? Should I?”

“That's... uh, well, that's entirely up to you,” he stammered.

“Does it feel good?”

“I mean, yeah, it's... it's nice, but it –” He was interrupted by the feeling of her fingers pushing further into his pants, exploring his sex, slowly and gingerly. “You don't... have to...”

She looked him straight in the eyes, a mischievous glimmer within hers.

“Have to? I'm _curious_ ,” she said.

Sheepishly, she began to touch his still-flaccid sex a little more. She drew lines along its length with her nails, gently, feeling the ridge of the glans through the foreskin. It was almost like she was educating herself, with the teasing being secondary. Not that he minded, though. It was just something else to share with her.

Her fingertips began to push against the foreskin, as she breathed a little heavier. 6O wasn't even sure why this elicited such a strong reaction from her, but he knew better. Even YoRHa androids still had the most primal of all human urges hard-wired into them. It was strange, though, he thought – or well, tried to think, as she began to rub her thumb on the now-exposed head of his member – it went directly against the whole 'don't be emotional' mantra that so many of the higher-ups loved to lecture him on.

“Hey, you're gonna make trouble if you keep that up...”

“We have plenty time,” she breathed, softly, continuing her unrelenting, teasing assault.

His mind started to shift its focus, whether he wanted it to or not – her delicate touch was making him breathe heavier too. It was the first time he'd ever felt the sensation of anyone else's touch in that area, and it was taking him by surprise just how intense it was. He felt the familiar sensation of a growing erection, and her eyes opened wide.

“Wowie,” was all she said, in a hushed whisper, feeling it fill out the palm of her hand. He wasn't especially self-conscious, but he was a little nervous. He had never actually thought this far ahead.

“It's nothing special...” said 9O, moving his hand back up to her hair. He couldn't get enough of the feeling of being able to slide his fingers through it.

“It's yours, isn't it? That makes it special enough to me,” she giggled, as she began to spread the lubricant that had begun to bead at the tip over the surface of his head.

“Have you – uh, have you done this before?” he asked with a slightly shaky voice, noting her technique.

“Oh, Nines... sometimes operators get a lot of downtime too, you know?” she said, teasing the delicate ridge under the glans with her fingertips. “I've seen plenty of old world records of this kind of thing before...”

“I... I don't think those are official reco– ”

He was interrupted by her enclosing the now slick head within her palm, as she began to massage it in circles; it was as if she was polishing an old-style bed frame.

“It's kinda cute how it just makes you stop talking if I do that...”

“It's not my fault they made it feel so nice... and you know what you're doing...”

“Mm, maybe you were right back then,” she mused out loud.

“A-about what?”

She leaned in close to his ear, and sang softly into it.

“Maybe I am just a big bully,” she giggled, switching positions with him and resting her head in the crook of his neck; she looked down under the gap in the bedsheets created by their bodies. “It's kinda nice to watch, too...”

It was wonderful to experience this level of intimacy – the act itself was just another way to get closer to each other, and in truth, he already longed to do this for her in return some day – but that discussion was for another day, not today. Her soft hair brushed on his neck and chest, making him feel a light shiver that permeated his entire body. Her other hand, having abandoned its regular post entwined in his, was wrapped around his back, bringing him as close to her as possible.

She continued to slide her hand up and down his length, as it throbbed and twitched at every movement; he whispered her name, again and again, since no other words felt important. There was only 6O, in his embrace, and that was all that mattered to him.

She felt his body begin to tense, and felt his breathing become ragged against her hair.

“Oh, wow, you're gonna... like, you're totally so close...”

He felt every single one of his muscles convulse, her teasing finally pushing him over the edge; his pulse rate was high enough to make warnings flash on his visual feed, before it whited out entirely for a time. He finished into her waiting palm, unable to hold back any longer.

“I think I'm gonna get me one of these...” she said, nonchalantly, a little while after he had caught his breath.

“One of these as in... one of _these_?”

“Yeah, why? Would it bother you?”

“I mean, no, but – I mean, as long as I can make you feel as good as you made me, I don't really care what you –”

“Oh, Nines... you're so easy to mess with...”

“My head's not exactly in a great place for serious thinking right after that, you know...”

“Aw, poor thing,” she whispered, not sorry at all. “Of course I'd want the matching one, silly.”

She continued whispering, almost inaudibly – he swore he could make out the words 'want' and 'inside', though, and if he had had any less willpower, he probably would have squeaked.

 

**

 

After tidying themselves up, they decided it'd be for the best to get dressed and prepared for their duties, so they would have at least a little time before they had to head off. 9O was sitting at his desk, while 6O put the finishing touches on her braids.

“I don't wanna go back...” she sighed.

“Hey, uh, we probably shouldn't tell anyone there just yet, right?” he said, thinking of the combined disdain, scorn, and various other unsavoury reactions they would face from 21S and 2B.

“Mm, I was thinking that too, but like... we're not exactly the best at keeping stuff inside, you know?”

“Yeah, I guess... so, we should just tell them, or? I mean, it's not gonna affect any missions, so –”

“I'm not so sure they'll see it that way...” said 6O, sitting down in his lap.

“I'm pretty sure 5O and 11O know, and the other operator that sits opposite you saw me coming here the other night, so...”

“It's probably only a matter of time, then... aw, snacks! I didn't wanna have to deal with 21S so soon,” she said, pouting. “I guess it is better coming from us...”

“Well, uh, since 2B has a soft spot for you, you can handle her, and uh... I'll tell 21S about it...” He almost regretted saying the words as soon as they spilled out of his idiot mouth.

6O turned to look at him. She knew it'd be better for her to deal with 2B, realistically, but that didn't mean she felt any better about sending him off to the verbal meat-grinder.

“Well, we only have to say it once, and then if they keep going on about it, we can tell _them_ they're the ones getting hung up on it, not us,” she said, resolutely.

“I hear they're coming back after this quick recon mission today, so we'll get our chance then, I guess.”

“Jeez, I can't wait... hey, did you get the hang of digging around for those older files now?”

“Yeah, I figured out a way to categorise them by the appearance of the image header, so it groups all the similar areas together, and then collates them and sorts them by the most recent additions, so it's pretty easy to just go to the back end of that, and then...”

“Aw, look at you, operator boy,” she said, ruffling his hair. “You'll be better than me soon, you know?”

“I doubt that,” he laughed, wrapping his arms around her, savouring the feel of her body before they'd be separated for what he knew would feel like an eternity.

“Oh, actually, one thing, Nines,” she said, her voice taking on a very forced stern tone.

“Uh, what's up?”

“How exactly do 5O and 11O know?”

He couldn't decide whether to laugh, hide his face in her shoulder, or both.

“Look, I might have – okay, look, the thing with that is...”

“Yes?”

“Okay, so I might've told them just a little bit about how I felt about you,” he mumbled, hoping she wouldn't _actually_ be annoyed.

“Oh, you did?”

“I uh... yeah...”

“That's... absolutely –” she began, leaving a pause before finishing, “– adorable, and like, super flattering, and that was even before we...? Aw, you're so cute...”

He exhaled heavily. She was getting a taste for messing with him at every opportunity, and he felt his lips pushing themselves into a slight pout of their own.

“If you do that, I'm gonna kiss them,” she breathed.

“Go for it,” he said, taking in her sweet taste one last time before they left.

 

**

 

9O waited patiently by 21S's quarters, knowing she'd come by as soon as she had finished discussing whatever she had to with the Commander. 6O was with 2B in the latter of the two's quarters – 2B had simply given him a curt nod as they passed him in the corridor, which he returned. They hadn't actually spoken more than once or twice in the weeks since his reassignment, which stung a little. He'd thought they were closer than that.

No matter, he thought, seeing 21S round the corner from the command room. She quite suited the scanner's uniform, but it was still a strange sight. He wondered if she thought the same of his.

“Oh, 9O. Shall I assume this is a social call, and nothing... actually important?”

“You assumed right,” he said, laughing softly. She never changed.

21S let out a little sigh, before inviting him inside. She slipped her boots off, and made straight for her bed. 9O couldn't blame her – he missed the comfort of his bed on the Bunker on long missions, too.

“So, how's life on the surface?” he asked, taking a seat at the desk.

“Is that small talk, or are you actually interested in my thoughts on the matter, 9O?”

“Of course I'm interested, I didn't even see you in weeks,” he said, feeling a little hurt.

Her expression softened. “It's... different,” she said.

“In a bad way?”

“I had thought that Scanners and Operators shared a similar role, but... it isn't that way at all in practice, is it?”

“I dunno... I mean, you haven't had a chance to do any solo missions yet, right? It's all been super combat-oriented stuff with 2B, so...”

“I suppose you're right,” said 21S. “We get along well, if you were wondering. She's very capable.”

“Yeah, she's that,” he replied. “A little distant, but you get used to it, you know?”

“Distant? I wouldn't say that at all,” said 21S, looking bemused. “We've shared a lot during downtime.”

“Huh... you don't say,” he said, a little curious. He decided not to pry any further into that subject, but he was happy that 2B had opened up to _someone_.

“At any rate,” 21S began, “how are things here?”

“Man, pretty stressful, honestly,” he said, deciding not to cover it up.

“That much is obvious, 9O,” she said, smirking. “I was meaning how things are with _you_ , not your assignments. How are you coping?”

That lump in his throat was back. He had almost forgotten why he called in.

“Whoa, hey, you're genuinely asking me that?”

“Let's just say I've opened up to the idea of... opening up, lately.”

9O's jaw almost dislodged from its fixings – it looked like he and 6O weren't the only ones who had been making some kind of positive progress.

“I mean, there's something we – uh, I, wanted to tell you, but...”

“Go ahead then,” she said, turning on to her side to face him.

“Well, you won't approve, but...”

“I almost never approve of your actions, but I'll hear you out nonetheless, 9O.”

“Well, 6O and I – well, it's... okay, well, we wanted to tell you two first, since you're pretty much our only real friends, so...”

21S's eyebrows raised just the slightest amount at the mention of 'friends', as if she couldn't quite believe that he considered her anything else other than a colleague. Even 9O was a little surprised he'd said it, but he hadn't realised how strange it would be to never see her around until after the fact. She didn't visit him on the Bunker nearly as much as he had visited her – whether that was due to personal choice or necessity, he wasn't sure.

“...so, we've been spending a lot of time together lately, and we really hit it off – we're both really similar, we're into the same things, and – well, we've uh... we've decided to be together...”

He waited, trying to read the expression on her face, but none came.

“I see,” she said, after a long, awkward pause.

“Uh... you're not...?”

“If 6O and yourself have found something you wish to nurture, then it isn't my place to encourage or discourage it, 9O. But...”

He braced. 'But' was never good.

“...I'll warn you that those emotions really _will_ make everything more difficult for the both of you.”

It wasn't said with any malice, or disdain – the only emotion the expression on her face betrayed was a worried one. He was caught off guard by it.

“Do you know that from personal experience, or...?” he asked, unable to restrain his curiosity. When he saw her reaction, however, he wished he had. “Sorry, not my place to ask...”

She looked back at him, with what could only be described as barely suppressed longing in her eyes. “Not in the way you're thinking, 9O, but... yes, from personal experience.”

He continued to hold her gaze, almost wanting to ask what she meant, but decided against it this time.

“Well, I'm glad you're not mad,” he said, eager to change the subject. “I promise, it won't affect mission efficiency.” At one point, he would have said that with his voice loaded with dry sarcasm, but this time, he meant it. He remembered her saying that she relied on him down there, and he didn't intend to let her down.

“I should hope not,” 21S replied, the smallest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips, the glimmer of pain leaving her eyes. Evidently, his sincerity was amusing to her, given his history.

“I've... actually put in a request to stay in this role for another month,” he said. It was something he hadn't discussed with 6O, yet – he had intended it to be a surprise for her.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, it's just – I'm not ready to go back, just yet...”

“I understand.”

“You don't mind? If they approve it, it'll mean you're stuck down there for a bit longer...”

“I'm perfectly fine spending another month with 2B,” replied 21S. “Although, if you don't pick up the speed of our data exchange, I'll be putting in a request of my own – to switch operators.”

“You don't mean that...”

She smiled properly, this time. It suited her, he thought.

“No, I don't mean it, 9O... but I _am_ going to have to be a little antisocial for the time being, I need to rest.”

“Oh – yeah, no problem, I didn't mean to cut into –”

“You didn't, don't worry,” she said, as he stood up, stretched, and walked to the far side of her room, his hand reaching for the access panel. “Oh, and 9O, since you were honest with me, I...”

“Yeah?” he said, pivoting on the spot to turn to her.

“I... no, never mind.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, it's fine, 9O.”

“Alright,” he said, shrugging. “See you later on – maybe I can go with you to maintenance or something?”

“Perhaps,” 21S replied.

He gave her a final wave, before leaving the room. She closed her eyes, as she tried not to think about how much she'd wanted to be so much more supportive of their relationship. How she'd wanted to give him as much advice as she could possibly offer. How she'd wanted to just hold him for a time, seeing him so worried about her reaction – she hated that he thought the first emotion she'd jump to would be anger.

 _One day,_ she thought. _One day, I'll be able to tell him..._

 

_**_

 

“Wha...? She didn't even lecture you?”

“No... there was something a little off, but she wouldn't tell me what, and I didn't want to push for it, so...”

“Hmm, well... I guess it's still better than being chewed out for an hour,” said 6O, playing with her braids and twirling them around her fingers.

“I still can't believe she did that,” said 9O, frowning.

2B hadn't reacted as well as 21S at all, apparently. Supposedly, she had almost lost her temper entirely.

“I think she was more concerned than anything,” 6O said, “but it still wasn't very nice, you know? She just kept going on and on about how we're going to get hurt in the end, and how it's a bad idea... I didn't even know she could shout like that...”

“Want me to go talk to her?”

“No, it's probably best to let her be for a bit,” she said quietly. “I mean, we're the closest things to friends she has too, so she's bound to be at least a little worried, or upset, or... something...”

“Mm,” was all he replied, slipping into bed beside her.

“It's done with now, so... there's probably gonna be like, one or two more awkward conversations, and then they really do have to get past it...” she whispered, wrapping her arms around him. “Gee, only a day, and I missed how you feel so much... ehehe, maybe we _are_ in trouble, you know? Even so... I'm gonna make the most of this, because... I'm gonna miss you even more, soon...”

He sighed softly, before relaxing into her embrace.

“Well, I have a tiny surprise for you, actually,” he said.

“Oh? Oh?! I love surprises, just don't keep me waiting... I _hate_ that...”

“I put in a request today,” he began, before 6O cut across him.

“What for?”

“Well, it was actually approved around an hour ago, since there were no objections from 21S...”

“Huh? 21S? What does she have to do with my surprise?”

He grinned widely at her. “They're letting me stay on another month in this role, so... I won't be leaving you _just_ yet...”

Her entire face lit up, which he saw for only a few fleeting moments before she buried it in his chest. She made excited squeals, held him tighter, kissed his skin, and squealed some more, before she regained enough composure to speak.

“I'm so happy, like... you seriously can't imagine how it feels... but why? Don't you miss Earth? Don't you miss... all of that stuff?” she asked, looking up at him.

9O looked into her eyes, shining with tears of joy. “Well, yeah, but I figured I'd miss you more, so...”

“Aw,” she whispered, pushing her head back against his body. “That's so cheesy it almost hurts, Nines...”

“Jeez, sorry, I'll go have them rework my vocabulary center,” he said, laughing a little. “Want me to go to maintenance? See if they have a speech therapy unit?”

“Ehehe, no, I never said I didn't like to hear it...” she giggled, before pushing herself up the bed so she could whisper in his ear. “I put in a request of my own, earlier, too, actually...”

He swallowed audibly.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She should never have been alone.  
> This isn't the last chapter, but please leave a comment for me to read!

The water swirled around their bodies, the scent of the shampoo she rubbed into his hair intoxicating them both.

“You _would_ pick this one,” 9O said, rolling his eyes, the unmistakable smell of roses in the air. The bath looked almost like a black box – it was shiny, marble-like in texture, with lines of gold, or perhaps silver, running through it to heat it.

“I didn't even know this place existed until someone started whining about baths and making me check if we had one here... let me have my reward, jeez!”

“Well, I knew we had one, but it got moved forever ago, so I didn't know if they just decided it was unnecessary or not...” he said, letting out a contented sigh as she massaged his scalp with her fingertips.

“It _is_ unnecessary... not that I'm complaining, though,” said 6O, tightening her legs around him. Even though nobody else was around, she was still overly protective, and at times even a little jealous if someone else looked at him for more than a fleeting second. He told her that was unnecessary too, but she never listened.

“It's really the first time you've been in one?”

“Well, yeah, it's not how I would've spent my free time a while ago, you know?”

“Say, actually,” began 9O, his curiosity bubbling almost as much as the shampoo around them, “how long _have_ you been here?”

“Hey, humans said it's totally rude to ask a girl her age – or at least, that's what the magazines I've seen said.”

“Oh, sorry,” he said quickly.

“Well, luckily, we aren't humans, so it's okay,” she giggled, tilting his head back to begin rinsing the suds out of his hair. “Hmm... I think it's thirty-five this year.”

“Cradle snatcher,” he said, smirking, prompting her to dump a handful of water into his face.

“Rude,” she pouted, as he laughed and spluttered simultaneously.

“Hey, it's not like it means anything to us...”

“You are kinda young, though! We should totally compare data banks someday, I wanna see if you caught up to me already...”

He laughed again, not really caring which one of them knew more. The laugh gave way to relaxed sighs, as her fingers combed through his hair, rinsing the shampoo out of it. Although it certainly wasn't necessary, android hair was remarkably similar to that of humans, and so the sweet-smelling solutions weren't wasted on them.

“You know,” she whispered, “that request I put in? It was approved a week ago.”

He swallowed hard again, as he did every time she brought it up.

“You never mentioned...”

“I'm mentioning it now,” 6O said, as she pulled him in closer.

 

**

 

After they had dried themselves off, after another long session of bathing and 'bathing', they made their way back to her quarters, in their off-duty clothes once more. They walked hand in hand – pretty much the entire base knew of their situation by now, and so there was no reason to hide it any longer.

9O took a deep breath, seeing 2B approach from the opposite end of the corridor. He raised his free hand to wave, but she picked up her pace, pushing past 6O's shoulder roughly. His hand fell to his side in a clenched fist.

“You know, I'm gonna go talk to her,” he said, grinding his back teeth a little.

“This is totally all my fault... you two wouldn't be like this if it wasn't for me,” 6O said, dejectedly.

“That's got nothing to do with it,” 9O replied angrily. The anger wasn't aimed at her, and they both knew it. “Even if it did, it doesn't give her the right to – hold on, I'm gonna go fix this.”

She pulled him back for a second to plant a small kiss on his cheek and squeeze his hand softly, but firmly, just once.

“Don't lose your temper, it'll only make it worse,” she said.

He nodded, and turned to catch up with 2B.

 

**

 

“2B, wait,” he said, reaching her side right as she reached the door to her quarters.

“What is it?” she replied, flatly, moving to press the access panel on her door, without even looking at him.

He grabbed her wrist before she could escape into her quarters. “Do you want to tell me what the hell is going on? First you make her practically cry by screaming at her, then you start shoving her in public?”

She looked down at his hand on her wrist. “Let go of me.”

“Or what? You'll actually show me an emotion for once? God forbid, right?”

“You don't know what you're talking about,” she said, before repeating herself. “Let go.”

“Not until you tell me you're going to apologise to –”

She interrupted him by wresting her arm from his grip, and backhanded him across the cheek. The force knocked him onto his rear.

“You really have changed,” 9O said to her, standing up and rubbing his face. “Does it make you feel better to be this way with us when we can't fight back? I don't recall you having the spine to do it before.”

“Why don't you go flaunt _your_ emotions some more, away from me?”

“Is that what it's about?”

“If you must know, yes. It's interfering with the mission, and it's interfering with the dynamic between a combat unit and her operator.”

“Funny, 21S never said a damn word about it to me,” he bit back, trying to keep his temper under check. “I thought she was supposed to be the hard-ass, but you just take things to new levels, don't you?”

“You don't have a clue what you're talking about,” she hissed.

“I'll tell you once now, if you have problems, you take them out on _me,_ not her.”

“Is that a threat?”

“The Commander doesn't have a problem with it, and since you're the only one of the four of us involved who seems to be struggling, it looks like you're the weak link, doesn't it?”

He may not have been able to hit her back physically – nor would he, even if he could – but he knew how to get back at her mentally.

“Just because _you_ can't handle your emotions like the rest of us doesn't give you the right to make everyone else's life a living hell because of it,” he said, breathing heavily. “6O doesn't deserve to put up with your shit, but you know what? She would, forever. She'd hold out hope until the god-damn end of time for you to say you're sorry, and then she'd throw her arms around you, and tell you it's all okay. That's the kind of person she is. So apologise to her, or I'm going straight to the Commander.”

2B stared at him for a moment. “Then go.”

She disappeared into her room before he could even register what she had said.

 

**

 

“Oh, jeez, you lost your temper, didn't you...” said 6O, putting her arms around him as he sat on the edge of her bed. Her eyes fell upon his reddened cheek.

“No, but she did,” he replied, leaning into her. “I dunno, it's just like there's no reaching her now...”

“You're not actually gonna like, report her, are you?”

“Well, shouldn't we? It's not making your job any easier.”

“I dunno... I'd feel bad, and we don't know what they'd do to her if we did, you know?” 6O said, looking thoughtful, yet forlorn.

“I guess not,” he said, exhaling loudly. “Maybe I can get 21S to talk to her, since they're close...”

“Mm, maybe,” 6O mumbled. She pulled him back onto the bed with her, before extracting her pillow from underneath her head and thrusting it into his face. “Here, maybe this'll cheer you up...”

“Mmfffh,” he said, eloquently, before moving it away to take a look. She had embroidered a large red shape into the center of it, upon which the stems of flowers interwove her name, and something else. It took him a moment to realise it was _his_ name.

“I was gonna put 9O, but that still feels kinda weird, doesn't it? Then I was like, hmm, maybe I'll put 9S there, but that's weird now too, so I just went with 'Nines'... do you like it?”

“It's cute, but... what's this shape?” he asked, pointing to the red thing.

“Oh, wow, you don't know?”

“Should I...?”

“It's a heart! Or well, it's... a romanticised one. Human hearts don't actually look like this, but like, all their depictions of it are drawn this way.”

“Huh, I see...”

“Even though they know all their emotions are in the brain, they still always talk about their heart being the thing that deals with love. Isn't that kinda sweet?”

“Yeah, it is,” he said, feeling more special than ever over having a permanent home on something he had found so adorable before.

“They're both going back down tomorrow though, huh?” thought 6O out loud, apparently unable to keep her mind off of more pressing matters.

“Yeah, I think so... I heard there's a lot more units than just them going down tomorrow though, and I know we all have to go to the command room beforehand for some important briefing.”

“Think it's to do with that 'Eve' they took out, last time?”

“Who knows,” he said, holding the pillow tight to his stomach. “All we can do is hope whatever they're doing goes without a hitch.”

“Mm...” she hummed, pulling him tighter. “At least you don't have to go...”

“Yeah,” he said. “I'm glad too.”

 

**

 

_Glory to mankind!_

The shout from every unit on the Bunker echoed throughout its halls, as the combat units began to file out first, followed by the scanners. 9O nodded to 21S, who gave him a wry smile and rolled her eyes as she saw 6O come up behind him.

 _Take care_ , he mouthed at her, not wanting to be the lone android who thought it was okay to break the silence. She nodded back in answer, her face serious again.

He gripped 6O's hand in his own quickly, before making keyboard motions with his other hand as he turned to her. She smiled and nodded, heading up the elevator with him before turning to walk to her desk.

 

**

 

_**YoRHa chat console v8.2** _

[ _… Establishing Connection …_ ]

[ _… Connection Established …_ ]

[ _… Direct Link Established …_ ]

 

_Participants:_

_YoRHa Unit 9O_

_YoRHa Unit 6O_

 

 _6O:_ everything okay?

 

 _9O:_ Yeah, it's fine, there's just so much going on, I can hardly keep track

 _9O:_ Even finding time to talk to you is gonna be a nightmare

 

 _6O:_ yeah, seriously, this is a logistics nightmare

 _6O:_ even I'm like totally lost right now (×﹏×)

 

 _9O:_ I sent you over some data that might be helpful, 21S managed to find time to do a full terrain scan for us to send to the other combat units

 

 _6O:_ aw, she's such a sweetie underneath it all, isn't she? I'll upload it to the servers, you need the bandwidth more

 

 _9O:_ Alright, but I'm gonna be gone for a few minutes, I forgot to do my server sync

 _9O:_ 21S says she'll only contact you if it's urgent, she knows how it is

 

 _6O:_ sure, miss you already ヾ(☆▽☆)

 

[ _… Disconnected …_ ]

 

**

 

Lying down in his bed, in his own quarters for once, he initiated the subroutines that would allow him to sync to the YoRHa servers. He completed the necessary diagnostics for his visual and audio feeds, and then allowed the painfully slow full memory scan to begin doing its job.

Something felt off, though. He felt odd little nudges, and prying tendrils that were trying to get into places they shouldn't. His motor functions. His logic center. His OS chip. He instinctively went to push back against them, but without his hacking module, he was powerless.

_I can't do anything like this... shit, this is bad._

Was this simply a more thorough scan than usual? They had taken precautions before – nothing like this, but he wouldn't have put it past – no, wait. It really _wasn't_ right. He felt something else taking hold inside his mind, and he began to panic.

_A virus?_

Was he susceptible to it? Had he missed too many maintenance sessions? There was that one he'd skipped to go bath with 6O, but –

_6O._

His mind raced. He hoped it was just him. He prayed it was just him. If it was, he'd lose a couple of days of memories. Nothing 6O wouldn't give him back.

But if it wasn't just him... the terror began to bubble up and rise inside him.

The scan finished, and he sat bolt upright, his pulse racing. He broke into a run, barely waiting long enough for the doors to open before he leapt through them into the corridor. He didn't care if he'd be reprimanded or not, he had to find out. How long had the scan taken? An hour? Two? He could barely even focus – he knew it was only a matter of time before the virus took hold entirely, and he'd have to be put down.

He vaulted the balcony inside the command room, running straight towards 6O's desk, his eyes ignoring everything else – as he reached it, he found her seat empty. His head twisted, trying to look for...

_Oh, no, oh no, oh shit, no, no no no no no no no..._

He looked over the second railing, and saw 2B and 21S surrounded by the Commander and several combat models, their eyes glowing bright red as they bore down upon the pair.

_So, it wasn't just me... shit, SHIT._

“ _2B!_ ” he shouted – or would have shouted, if he hadn't been grabbed from behind by an unseen assailant. He was taken by surprise, but he looked around behind him, and saw an operator's uniform. Caught unaware and unarmed as he was, he still had vastly more combat experience than any operator's body and mind could possibly have. He managed to hook his leg around the operator's, unbalancing her and throwing her to the floor. He winced, when he got a look at her face. It was 11O, though her mind was no longer her own. As he flailed around, trying to get her to let go of him, he saw 6O, curled up underneath the stairs, her arms wrapped around her head.

It pained him to do what he was about to do, and he was sickened that the thought could cross his mind, even before the virus got to his logic circuits. He twisted his body around, so he could place his boot on 11O's neck, and with a sickening crunch, he put his body weight behind his leg. He didn't look down. He mumbled a quiet apology, but deep down, he knew that it wasn't his friend whose life he had just snuffed out.

For a brief moment, he debated going back to the railing to check on 2B and 21S, but his first priority was 6O. It had to be. He darted quickly towards her, before anyone else could jump him from the shadows, and approached slowly.

“Hey, it's me,” he whispered to her. She jumped with fright and pushed herself back into the corner, her arms outstretched. “It's me, 6O, it's Nines...”

Her eyes opened, and tears spilled forth from them, flowing down her cheeks.

“Oh, thank god... you're alright, you're alright,” she said, throwing her arms around him.

“6O... did you sync with the server earlier?” he asked quickly and calmly. He didn't want to ignore her caring for him, but this was more important.

“Yeah, I did... why?”

“Shit...” he said, out loud. “Did you notice anything weird about it?”

“It felt a little different, but... wait, does it have something to do with all this? All my friends, they just... they...”

9O held her tight. It was all he could do. In the corner of his eye, he saw 2B, 21S and the Commander running through the main door of the command room. Perhaps it all wasn't lost after all. 2B would fix it. She always did. She'd have 21S hack in, and just –

“Nines... did you sync too?”

“I... yeah, I just finished before I got here...” he said, almost apologetically. It was her turn to hold him tight.

“So we're gonna...?”

“Unless they fix it, yeah. Us too.”

“No way... I'd never h-hurt you, never, _never_!” 6O said, bursting into a fresh round of tears.

“I need to use your terminal to check something,” he whispered, trying to keep the fear out of his own voice. He knew how painful it was going to be. He could already feel his motor functions slipping away from him.

“Sure, just... take me with you, I can't be alone...” she sniffled. “I had to... 5O, I had to throw her off the side, and –”

“It's okay, it's okay,” he said softly. He knew it was anything but okay, but he had to reassure her. He'd felt this before, even if he didn't remember the specifics. She hadn't. She didn't deserve this. “Let's just get to the terminal first, we need to take care of a couple of things if we can, okay?”

“A-alright...” she said, attempting to get to her feet but falling flat. Evidently, it had taken hold of her far quicker. “Ouchies...”

It took all of his channelling of 2B's emotional restraint to not break down crying, hearing her own special way of saying words at this minute in time, knowing that the virus would soon take even that from her.

He pulled her upright, her arm draped over his shoulder, as they slowly walked over their former friends' bodies.

“Alright, I'm gonna log in first, I need to make sure I get this right...”

6O simply clung onto him in silence as he manipulated her keyboard expertly. Even now, despite everything, she was still proud.

“Okay, 21S is scheduled for an auto-sync in... ten minutes, so if we can just halt that, we can still save –”

“You're saying... we can't do anything for ourselves, aren't you?”

She sounded so unlike herself, in that moment. There were no cute mannerisms in her voice. There was no innocence. There was barely even fear. It was a disgusting sort of acceptance. Something she should never have to accept.

“We can still save them,” he said, looking her in the eyes. They were tinged red, now. She looked back into his, and saw the same. Any trace of fear vanished, seeing her lover putting his friends first. Things like this were why she'd fallen for him, after all.

“Right,” she said, resolutely.

“It's done,” he breathed. “You'll have to check 2B's... it won't let me.”

She wordlessly began to type at her keyboard, inputting her own ID. The lights in the room flickered on and off, but still she continued working, as if nothing was amiss.

“Oh no, Nines, it's –”

He saw it too. Her auto-sync was happening right now.

“No, but – wait, wait, look, it's still in audiovisual, if we can stop it before it gets to the memory scan, it'll be fine,” he said, in a panicked voice.

“My... hands aren't working like they should, Nines...”

“Just tell me the IDs, don't worry... just rest, you did great,” he whispered.

As they worked together, entirely in the dark now, a communications notification popped up in the center of 6O's screen. It was a request from a flight unit, currently mid-way to Earth.

9O pushed accept, and was surprised, but more than relieved to see 21S's face, her eyes seemingly free of any corruption.

“9O... are you alright?”

“We're... uh, no, not so much,” he said, forcing a smile onto his face. “We probably don't have long left.”

“I... I see,” replied 21S, looking away from the camera. “Is 6O there with you?”

“She's right here,” he replied, watching her go back to attempting to finish cutting off the scan's progress. Her fingers barely moved, and yet she somehow managed to continue typing. His eyes began to fill with tears.

“6O, can you hear me?”

“Yeah... wh-what is it? Sorry, I'm... trying to...”

“Be quiet for a minute. You... you were truly the only friend I had, 6O. It was a pleasure to work with you every day.”

6O smiled. “Aw... I knew that... all along anyways...”

“9O – no, 9S. This isn't easy for me to say, and I... don't expect you to understand. Emotions aren't my strong point either, but I need you to know something too,” she said, clearly holding back tears, her voice shaking. “I would have loved nothing more than... to be someone you could rely on, someone you could trust. Someone you could turn to when... but it seems I waited too long. I'm sorry. You should have had that. I'm so sorry, 9S...”

“You were, though,” he replied, doing his utmost to keep the smile where it was. It had begun to hurt a lot more, now. “You already were. I'd trust you with anything, you know that.”

6O gave him a nod. 2B's sync had been halted, seconds before the memory scan was scheduled to begin.

“Speaking of,” he went on, “can't 2B use her communications module too?”

“Her flight unit was damaged, and has limited functionality... also, there's... something you should know. The... the backups of everyone's data are gone. We tried to salvage them when we took the Commander to the server room, but...”

“So we won't be able to say goodbye, huh?” asked 6O, seemingly unconcerned with the previous statement, and more worried about his question.

“I... can record something for you, if you'd like.”

“Yeah, do that,” he said. He wanted to say it before the virus took his voice. He _hated_ the sound that made. It sickened him to the core. “6O...?”

“2B,” she began tentatively, “I... I know you've been upset with me lately, but I'm gonna tell you something right now, okay? There's no hard feelings, alright? You were always this way, and a few bad weeks isn't gonna make me think any worse of you, okay? I... I always admired you, and... please, look after 21O... she's not as tough as she looks, and... and...” her voice gave way to heart-rending sobs, as she rested on her partner's body.

“You can really throw your hands, you know that, 2B? It still hurts now,” he said, forcing that cheerful smile onto his face once more. “But it's okay, because I know you didn't mean it. I know you'd never hurt us, not really. I pushed too far, and I should've come to talk to you properly sooner. Just... don't do anything stupid down there, alright? If there really are no backups, don't go picking fights with boars just because they're in your way, or... or don't go jumping into rivers, or off hills, or... look, just be safe, okay? Don't waste your time mourning us, we're... we're soldiers, and we take pride in our service, remember? Even if it's not for YoRHa, we're... fighting for you, alright? We always will be, 2B, so...”

“Nines...” whimpered 6O, curling up on top of him.

“I know, I know,” he said, running his hands through her hair. “21...O, we managed to halt your data sync, along with 2B's. You shouldn't have any trace of anything, but as soon as you get down there, take her to the Resistance camp and have them double-check both of you, we might have missed something.”

“Alright, 9– Nines. I'll... miss your voice.” Hearing him use the designation he knew her as for the longest time had compelled her to do him one last favour. He'd always asked her to use that name.

“It _is_ nice, isn't it?”

21O laughed, despite herself, as she choked on a sob.

“We're about to touch down, now. I'll see she hears your messages. You were both... so wonderful. Perhaps we'll be joining you soon.”

“Don't say that,” coughed 6O, “don't say that...”

21O stayed silent for a moment, before finally attempting to speak.

“I have to go now, or I... don't think I'll ever be able to...”

“Good,” said 9O. “I don't want either of you to see us this way, so...”

“Roger that. 21O... out.”

The line went dead, then. They were all alone.

“That wasn't easy,” breathed 9O, allowing his body to relax against hers as they slipped off her chair together, resting against the glass panel on the railing.

“No, but it's over now, and they're going to be alright, so...”

He used the last vestiges of his strength and willpower to bring her closer to him, his arms wrapped around her tightly.

“You still smell of roses, you know...” she whispered, laughing softly into his neck.

“So do you,” he said, his mind sticking on the thought of their bodies pressed together in ecstasy only yesterday.

“It hurts, doesn't it?” she said, clenching her fists tight.

He didn't know how to answer her question. Even though it was rhetorical, he still wished he could.

“I... promise though, I'll... I would never hurt you, Nines, no matter... how far this gets...”

“I know – I... I promise too,” he said, slipping his fingers into hers.

“I know we never said it, but... I love you, you know?”

“Oh, I knew...”

She laughed as hard as her weakening body would let her. “Even now, you're so full of yourself...”

“I knew, because I love you too, 6O.”

She smiled, even through the pain spreading throughout her entire body.

“I'm glad... that we're together... right now... I'd hate to be alone at a time like this...”

“I'm... glad I'm here for you...”

“I've... bEen so hAPpy with yOu, Nines...” she said, fighting to keep her voice her own.

“Shh,” he said, screwing his eyes shut, “don't talk... we don't need to say anything else...”

“I love... you... love you...”

He continued to stroke her hair, for what felt like an eternity.

The second last thought that passed through his mind was how cute her pillow was, and how lucky he was to have held a position on it.

The last thought that passed through his mind was how wonderful roses smelled.

 

**

 

The explosion was visible from Earth. 2B crumpled to her knees, as did 21S. They sobbed, and sobbed, and sobbed until their throats were hoarse, and then they sobbed some more. They came to rest in each others' arms, unable to form words.

 

What was left for them now?

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll make it up to you all for the last chapter, I swearsies.
> 
> Leave a comment for me to read please, I do so love to see what you have to say!

_I... I always admired you, and..._

_**We're fighting for you, alright? We always will be, 2B, so...** _

_There's no hard feelings, alright?_

_**I know you'd never hurt us, not really...** _

 

Androids couldn't dream, but that didn't stop them from reliving thoughts while they lay awake in bed at night. 2B couldn't get those thoughts out of her head. The sounds of their voices. Him, trying desperately to hold his voice steady and keep an unseen smile on his face for her. Her, reassuring her all was forgiven. As she knew it would be.

She hadn't left the room in over a week. She couldn't. The only person she had spoken to was 21S, to conduct their emergency scans. Of course, there was no virus to be found. They had put her first until the very last moments of their lives.

That sickened her. She had done nothing but make their lives miserable since they had gotten closer. She didn't deserve such kindness. She should have been the one up there at the end, writhing in pain, blown to –

“2B,” said 21S, standing over her. “You haven't performed maintenance since we... since then. Let me at least –”

“I'm fine,” said 2B, rolling on to her side to face away from her. She didn't want to inconvenience, or hurt anyone else ever again.

“You won't be if you don't keep on top of this,” 21S muttered, sitting on the edge of her bed.

“What does it matter?”

21S sighed, placing a hand on 2B's shoulder and rolling her over to face her.

“You know, I don't know what we're supposed to do now, either, but that doesn't mean I want what they did to be for nothing...”

“It doesn't matter either way,” 2B replied, her voice faltering. “Whether we live, or die, it doesn't matter. There isn't anything left.”

“There isn't anything left that's familiar to us, no,” admitted 21S. “But giving up on finding something else to care about isn't what they would have –”

“How can you even think about finding 'something else'?”

“I didn't imply that it would be soon,” said 21S, quickly. “Do you think I'm coping? Do you think I've rested?”

“No,” replied 2B. She knew for a fact she hadn't. They heard each other tossing and turning on their beds each and every night.

“Let's get each other through the next few days, and then maybe you can start making decisions. This isn't the time, 2B...”

There was a long pause, in which they met each others' eyes behind their visors. Silently, 2B rolled over fully onto her back, and began to initiate the requisite subroutines to allow 21S to perform maintenance.

 

**

 

“You can't keep putting yourself through this. Nobody knew this was coming.”

2B simply looked at her. She didn't know the half of the things she had put herself through, in the name of YoRHa. Perhaps she should.

“I could have handled things continuing as they were,” said 2B. “As hard as it was, at least there was... the hope that change would come. This is all so... final.”

They sat on opposite ends of the same bed, inside their dismal room in the ruined Resistance camp. 2B had declined using her old room. There were too many memories there.

“I understand,” whispered 21S.

“You don't, though,” said 2B, solemnly. “But if I were to tell you, you wouldn't want anything to do with me.”

“You'd be surprised what I've heard,” replied 21S, slowly. “Getting it off your chest may help.”

2B pondered, before deciding that losing one more person in her life wouldn't make a difference anyway.

“You've heard of the E-type, then, I presume.”

“I've never worked with one first-hand, but of course, since they require an operator too. Word goes around. Did you know one?”

“You're looking at one,” said 2B, turning her head away.

“Assigned, or mission-related?” asked 21S, calmly, unfazed. YoRHa business had been YoRHa business, regardless of how tasteless she found it. An E-type was either assigned its own target, or simply brought along on group missions for eliminating any potential deserters or preventing data from falling into enemy hands.

“... assigned,” mumbled 2B.

“Who?”

“I...”

There was a pause. 21S looked her over for a while, before unfastening her combat visor to look straight at 2B.

“You're not serious, are you?”

“You knew how he was! You knew they'd see him as a liability, as a tool, as –”

“Even so...” 21S said, quietly. “He was so...”

“I'm aware,” replied 2B, softly. “I didn't say I found it easy.”

“How many times?”

“More than I can stand to remember. Sometimes I couldn't.”

“You couldn't?”

“I tried to take my own life, once. He stopped me. Turned the blade on himself.”

“I'm... sorry. I always remembered you two being close.”

“We were, but... how can you allow yourself to continue getting close to someone you inflict that on, constantly? No, how can you allow yourself to get close to anyone? You don't deserve their affection, and they don't deserve to be around someone so disgusting.”

“So that's why you are the way you are, then...”

“He deserved her. He truly did. I was so foolish... I should have said something sooner.”

21S swallowed. She didn't know if she truly understood the extent of their closeness or not.

“I've no doubt he knew how you really felt, 2B...”

“He?”

“Well, yes, you –” And then, suddenly, it struck her. She wasn't talking about her closeness with 9S, it was –

“6O...?”

“Yes,” sighed 2B.

It all made sense, now. The hostility towards them. The distance she forced into existence between herself and her operator.

“But 9S, you and he –”

“– _were_ close, at one point, yes. But never like that. I learned, in the end, that it was only the veil of mystery he was attracted to. He wanted to see what lay underneath the mask. But showing him that would have been even more cruel.”

“I... see,” said 21S.

“He was smitten for a time, and yes, had my assignment not been what it was, perhaps something could have come of it. But... the one who kept me sane, the one who would come by at night to read me things I couldn't have cared less about, yet still sat through... that was her.”

“She was obsessed with you,” 21S said. “You would only have had to say one word –”

“She deserved _better_ ,” replied 2B, her eyes misty.

“I don't think she would have seen it that way,” 21S murmured thoughtfully.

“It doesn't matter now,” breathed 2B. “Besides, she was happy at the end, wasn't she? That's what counts. He made her happier than I ever could have.”

“You don't know that, but... I suppose it is too late for that line of thinking, yes.”

“At any rate, I assumed it was you who was into him,” 2B said, turning to her.

A sad smile formed on 21S's face.

“I always wanted... a family. I wanted to keep him safe.”

“I see,” whispered 2B, recalling machines and androids alike craving the closeness of a familial unit. “Then you must despise me, right now.”

“If I saw anything other than remorse in your eyes right now, that might have been true,” she began. “But no... all I see is someone who thought they were doing all they could for YoRHa.”

2B nodded. “It means a lot that you understand. I'm thankful I told you.”

“We aren't so different.... I've no doubt it pained him that we hid our true selves from him, for so long, but... perhaps it spared him needless grief in the end.”

“Perhaps,” said 2B, “or perhaps we simply made things worse by lying, and keeping up our façades.”

They sat in silence again, maybe to ponder which of the two it was, or maybe to recall memories of them. 21S moved closer, and placed a tentative hand on 2B's shoulder.

“Berating ourselves over our choices won't be of any use now,” she said quietly, “but if you've need to discuss things further, then... I won't be far.”

“Thank you.”

 

**

 

The palm of her hand rubbed across that little pink bead, over and over. It felt so good, yet she was so sad. She shut down her visual sensors, and tried to recall the sound of her voice.

_Oh, 2B, that's totally so cute on you!_

_That is so like you, 2B!_

_A lunar tear...? Oh my gosh, it's so pretty..._

Time alone was scarce, since 21S struggled to deal with leaving their room to interact with others, too. However, she was currently undergoing emergency maintenance to fix her hacking module. The repair androids at the camp had been more than happy to assist, given the circumstances.

But now, 2B had time to focus on her own grief, and the sense of loss she felt. The things that had come so painfully close, yet had felt so far away.

Her mind honed in on a time she had allowed 6O close to her, in her own quarters once. The operator had wrapped her leg over the top of her own, and had talked to her for hours about constellations, and their relevance to their lives at certain points in the year. Truthfully, she wasn't interested, but feeling her soft breath on her face, and her delicate, excited voice in her ear was too sublime for her to give up. In her world of strife and torment, 6O had been her guiding light. And now it was too late for any of that.

A lone tear rolled down her cheek, as she continued to touch herself. She didn't hear the door open, nor was she aware of 21S's presence, until she spoke.

“2B...?”

She instantly switched her visuals back on, and let her skirt fall around her thighs once more, covering her shame. She looked up at 21S, tears flowing freely down her face.

“I... I just wanted... I was thinking how she would have... I'm sorry.”

“It's alright,” said 21S, holding the girl close as she sat down beside her on the bed. “It's alright... you don't have to explain.”

“We almost... once,” 2B said, sniffing and wiping her eyes with her sleeve. “I wanted to feel what she wanted to make me feel.”

21S held her tighter, feeling her sobs shake her tiny body, her eyes falling to the wet patch on the bedsheets in front of her.

“You must think I'm disgusting, to think of... at a time like this...”

“You miss her, and you have regrets,” said 21S, as logical as ever. She didn't particularly want to sound logical, but in this case, the logical option was likely the one that would comfort her the most. “You aren't disgusting.”

“Her hand was there, once,” 2B whimpered, “but... I pushed her away in the end, because I was so terrified of hurting her, and... and now I – I don't remember how it felt any more...”

21S looked down at the pitiful figure of the once stoic, unshakeable girl in front of her, reduced to crying like this. She only wanted to help, to be able to alleviate her pain...

She slipped off her gloves, one by one, and held one of 2B's hands in her own, making her flinch and almost recoil.

“We... we were both designed and created to be operators, so we would have had... the same body,” 21S began, her voice shaking. “If... if it would help, then I don't mind if you want to pretend that I'm...”

2B looked up at her, her eyes shining with fresh tears ready to fall.

“No, I couldn't... I...”

“I want to help,” said 21S, almost crying herself. She began to guide their paired hands downwards, imploring her to take her offer.

2B rested her head on 21S's shoulder, pressing her face into the fabric of her uniform, and soaking it as she sobbed. She brought the former operator's hand closer to her skirt, and lifted it up with her free hand.

21S allowed 2B to be the one to make any decisions. It _was_ still just an offer, and she was certain that she felt no sexual desire towards the other android. As she thought that, she felt her hand being manipulated and pulled into place, on top of 2B's soaking wet entrance.

“You really don't... you're okay with me thinking of her?”

“I want to help...” she repeated.

2B sobbed once more, before pressing 21S's fingertips to the glistening slit, almost begging her to take action. Wordlessly, 21S allowed a finger to slip inside, rubbing against the girl's inner walls. 2B squirmed against her, almost to see if she could feel a difference between what she remembered and what she was feeling. Her moan of relief when there was no disconnect between the two feelings told 21S that there truly was no difference between them, physically.

“More...” 2B whined, without removing her head from 21S's shoulder.

21S obliged, slipping in a second finger and curling it upwards in a come-hither motion. She was familiar with how this all worked, of course, as she had trialled the first few implementations of these augmentations and forwarded the data to command.

2B moaned and writhed underneath her touch. 21S would have said something reassuring, something comforting, but she didn't want to take the poor girl out of her fantasies. This was for her, and what she wanted – no, needed – was to lose herself in the memories of the girl she had loved.

21S repositioned herself slightly, to be behind 2B, so that she could rub her palm on the pink pearl as she withdrew her fingers, then again as she pushed them back inside as far as she could reach. She felt 2B shudder every time, and knew by instinct that she must already have been close.

“6...O...” she mewled, her mouth pressed against 21S's neck. She was losing herself in the moment, and 21S did her best to not feel anything from the sensations her skin was being subjected to. 2B's lips kissed, nibbled and licked at her neck between moans, sometimes during them. In a way, 21S longed to have felt this love from someone, too. But this love wasn't for her.

 _Perhaps it could be,_ she felt herself think, before she quashed that dangerous thought and stopped it in its tracks.

She felt 2B shudder beneath her, and she picked up her fingers' pace inside her to match the increased speed of the other girl riding her hand. She let all thoughts leave her mind entirely, only focusing on making sure that 2B felt everything she needed to feel, at that moment. She felt her hand grow wetter, and she felt teeth on her neck, and she felt warm breath, panting heavily against her skin.

The wet patch on the bed grew bigger.

 

**

 

They slept together, that night. Not out of a newfound emotional or physical connection, but because 2B had refused to stop crying for hours after she had finished. 21S simply held her, until she had gone into a forced rest mode from over-exertion where she sat.

She wondered if she had made the right choice, or whether she had fallen victim to the self-same emotions that she had warned 9S about in what felt like a lifetime ago. It was what she had needed, what she had craved. But was it right to give her it? Had that been the right decision? It had made her feel like she was special, but... she wasn't, not really. 6O was the special one, not her.

Still, she thought, rubbing her neck gently, with an arm around 2B's delicate body, perhaps there was nothing wrong with pretending, for now.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This. Took. FOREVER.  
> The tone was so hard to get right, the emotions, the timing, the feelings... aaahhh I'm kind of relieved it's over, but I'm also really happy with this.
> 
> Please, leave me a comment even if you hate the pairings, even to tell me you think I'm garbazio... I feel like our little NieR fanfic train is slowing, and it scares me a little.  
> On that note, I'll be taking a brief break to catch up to my friends in FF:XIV, but I'll be back in a week or so, there's still things I want to write anew and update.
> 
> Ciao for now!

Far from getting better, things took a turn for the worse. 2B's emotional state grew ever more fragile. She was receptive at times, and could hold a discussion over plans for maintenance, but other than that, she would slip into long, painful depressive phases, lasting hours to days at a time.

All 21S could do was be there for her, as often as she could. She _had_ started to venture outside more, to keep herself occupied – steadfastly refusing any of the recon work, but assisting with any technology-related issues that the camp were facing.

2B would insist that she was fine, and not wishing to argue with her, 21S would leave to help the other Resistance androids in the early hours. She would return, after a time, to the sight of the other girl curled into a ball on her bed, sobbing, and so she had ceased to leave the room at all, in favour of staying with 2B.

“It's fine... you should go and help, they need you,” 2B would say, vaguely attempting to compose herself.

“You need me more,” 21S replied flatly. “You shouldn't be alone right now...”

“It's so selfish,” 2B said. “So, so selfish, to keep you here, with me, when I can't... when I don't even...”

“Be quiet, and rest,” 21S whispered softly. “I'm not going anywhere.”

“I don't deserve...” she said, before turning over.

21S sighed. She was having trouble holding herself together too, truthfully. The more time she had to think, the more it sunk in that she wouldn't get to see them again.

And then, there was the emotional mess she had gotten herself into. Every day she regretted it, more and more. Not because she didn't want to be there for 2B, but because she had gotten attached to her. Attached to someone who still held a candle to someone she'd never be able to touch. The worst of it was that it hadn't been the last time, either. She felt compelled to help her, whenever she asked, or needed to feel it. Each time, it grew tougher for her, as each time, she fought the urge to pull herself a little closer, or run a hand through 2B's hair. She knew, unquestionably, that this affection wasn't for her, but yet she took it, grasped it with both hands, greedily. She needed it. It was comforting. It soothed her. And so, soon, she too began to ask selfish requests of her combat partner.

“Just for now, I...”

“I understand.”

“But this is... there's no pretending, are you certain that it's –”

“You've done... so much for me, let me help you,” replied 2B.

And so they shared a bed, shared each others' warmth, shared their fears, shared what had been their hopes and dreams. All that mattered to them was laid bare in front of the other, in perhaps their first honest display of themselves to anyone. They no longer had the desire, nor the strength to hold a mask in front of their true selves any longer.

21S wasn't sure what it was. They were similar, but yet so different. She was entirely sure that regardless of who had been next to her, it wouldn't have mattered right now. She needed _someone_. She needed the comfort, and she was already close to 2B. They were so close that there was so little distance to bridge. She doubted 2B would have let anyone in like this, even now, unless she trusted them entirely.

Did that mean anything? Was she to take solace in that?

“21S...”

“What is it?” she asked, her train of thought thoroughly derailed.

“When I asked you if you'd mind helping last time, you hesitated.”

“I didn't,” she replied quickly.

“You did,” insisted 2B. “I'm not myself right now, but I... I still notice these things. Is it uncomfortable for you?”

“No, it's not that.”

“So you're saying it's something, then.”

“It's not the time, 2B...”

“So you keep saying. It's never the time for anything. But to me, right now, it doesn't matter if you tell me something today, or one hundred years on. It's all the same. So tell me.”

21S sighed. Put on the spot, it all felt so selfish. So wrong.

“I don't want to risk getting attached to you,” she whispered.

2B sat upright, looking 21S straight in the eyes, looking hurt.

“After everything we've both been through... _especially_ after how we hurt him, you'd still say something like that to me? You'd _still_ keep me at arm's length?”

“No, it's not like that, it's –”

“If you can't be honest with _me_ after all that we've shared, then there's no reason for you to be here.”

21S gazed up at her. Despite her current emotional state, she was still the same 2B as ever.

“I'm sorry,” she said, after a pause. “It just feels wrong.”

“Is there a right way to feel? About any of this?”

“I suppose not...”

“Then tell me, for god's sake...”

“It... becomes hard to differentiate between what is, and what isn't pretending, sometimes...”

“I... see,” said 2B.

“I didn't long for anyone in particular, but... the way you show affection for her is... I can't help but be envious,” 21S mumbled, shaking her head. “It's so... distasteful – disrespectful – to think this way, and that's why I can't –”

“You don't think it's hard for me to only think of her?” interjected 2B, lying back down again. “You don't think _I_ was wrestling with these feelings the whole time, too? I feel like I should tear myself to shreds over the thoughts that come into my mind, when we...”

21S simply lay there, letting her words sink in.

“You're my... the only one who managed to get close to me, because we understood each other. We do understand each other, don't we?”

“Of course,” 21S said hastily. “Of course we do...”

“I taste your skin, and it's not her. And yet I don't stop. I hear your breathing, and it's not hers. And yet I ache to hear more of it. I say her name to remind myself it's _her_ I'm supposed to be thinking of, and not you. Is that not also disrespectful?”

“I...” was all 21S managed, before small sobs lightly shook her frame. It was the first time she had cried in front of 2B since the moment of the explosion.

2B pulled herself closer to the former operator, and wrapped her arms around her lithe body.

“I don't think I want to pretend, any more. I've... I've been thinking a lot, this past month, and... and I don't think it's what she would have wanted. I don't want to take even the memory of her away from him, either...”

21S was reeling from the weight of the conversation. She couldn't do anything but lightly sob into 2B's chest, hanging on her every word.

“I may not be the best at expressing them, but I... I know these emotions aren't meant to be ignored... I don't know if we're feeling this simply because of – of what we've lost, but even if that's so, surely they aren't any less valid?”

“I don't know what to think, 2B...”

“Don't misunderstand, I'm not trying to replace her with you, I just... don't think we should fight what we feel in the moment, any more...”

That was one fear assuaged. In the end, 21S had rued their physical similarities – she didn't want to be compared to 6O. It was unfair to the both of them. She realised then, though, that she shouldn't have expected so little from 2B, after everything she had shared with her.

2B pulled herself closer to her. The warmth of each others' bodies, even through their combat uniforms was everything to them right now, and it was an impossible feeling to resist.

“I'm... not saying anything should change, not so soon, but... I don't want to let this go.”

“I don't either,” whispered 21S.

2B's hand found its way to hers, and held it tightly. They were spent on words for one day.

 

**

Two months on...

 

_“Report: debris located in desert region. Hypothesis: debris is likely a result of Bunker detonation.”_

 

That was all they had to go on. Though they had rarely ventured outside of their small room, this was something they couldn't ignore.

“Pod, when you say debris, how much are you talking?” asked 2B as she stumbled across the dunes. No matter how many times she came here, she never got used to the shifting sands.

“Unknown.”

“Right. Do you have a more precise location? We've been wandering for hours, and you haven't given us any coordinates.”

“Negative. However, visual contact has been confirmed.”

2B strained her eyes against the swirling dust and sand. The fine particles still found their way into her eyes through her visor, much as they found their way everywhere else.

“21S, do you see anything?”

“Scanning in this weather is hopeless, there's just – no, look... it's...”

As they moved further onwards, in as straight a line as they could manage, a large, metallic structure came into view. As it turned out, 'debris' had meant 'almost half of the bunker itself'.

“It barely even broke up... it just got torn apart...” said 21S, her mouth falling agape briefly before she closed it again for the irritants. She pulled up the Resistance scarf around her face, as did 2B. “Let's get a little closer, we can use it as shelter.”

“...right,” said 2B, a little hesitantly. She wasn't sure if she was ready to be so close to it so soon, but it was that or turn back now, to hide in that pathetic little room forever. That, she decided, was not going to be her fate.

They managed to press themselves against an interior wall, shielding them from the dust storm. Pulling their scarves down, they took their first cursory glances around.

“Where are we?”

“This is one part of the ring, but I'm not sure where...” replied 21S, looking around for some clues. “I think this may have been the hangar elevator,” she said, opening up the old map data for the Bunker on her scanning module.

2B looked to her right. That meant her room had been just beyond the cut-off point. She had wanted to see it, even briefly, but it wasn't to be.

“From the looks of things, this is everything from what would've been the hangar up to 5O's quarters...”

“Which means no salvaging any flight units, right?”

“Right,” said 21S. The transport area would have been on a higher level anyway, and would likely have been one of the first things to be torn off on re-entry.

“And no command room, either,” whispered 2B.

“Mm...”

“The terminal should still be there, but without power...”

“We can always try.”

The pair advanced along the wall of the ring, which had once been the floor. The gravity had been adjusted while in orbit so that the ring would function in an upright position, but now it was simply a matter of navigating it sideways. There was evidently somehow some form of reserve power in place – lights flickered on and off, and the access panels to the doors seemed to function. They couldn't actually see the extent of how much of this section was intact, but they surmised that at least one of the power cores had survived the journey to Earth.

“That's...” 2B squinted. “7B's room.”

“Which means,” 21S began, “that it's 8B next, and then it's the terminal.”

She frowned, despite herself. 8B had been reset numerous times for deserting.

“And after that, it's yours, right?”

“Right...”

They continued on, having no desire to check inside the rooms that didn't belong to them.

“Let's see if we can get the terminal working first,” said 21S, lightly pulling 2B's arm as she went to walk towards 21S's quarters. “If there's backup power, it's likely we can get something out of it.”

The elevator shaft, now sideways, was going to be tricky to navigate – the elevator itself was crumpled, and so there was room for the pair to squeeze past it, but it was by no means an easy task. As they emerged on the opposite side, they looked up at the terminal on the wall. It was beyond either of their reach.

“Can you hack it from here?” asked 2B.

“I should be able to, but from what I recall, it didn't like scanner IDs too much, or combat units for that matter. It was designed for use by operators, so I'll likely have to brute force it. If it still works, that is...”

“What are you looking for, exactly?”

“Anything that tells us what happened, I suppose,” she replied, raising her arms to begin her hacking.

2B simply leaned against the wall – or floor – and watched her. She really was talented at whatever she put her mind to. Her mind filled with a hundred or so memories of sitting back, watching 9S hack into things, and now, more recently, 21S. Sometimes, she felt so useless.

“That's... strange,” said 21S, still pressing on. “There's no security...”

“It doesn't have a problem with you?”

“It's more than that, there's nothing stopping me from accessing whatever I like...”

“...hmm.” It felt so strange to her that the very purpose of her being, the very reason 9S met his end at her hands so many times, was supposedly laid bare to the pair of them right now.

“There's so much meaningless data here... who would ever record sending _no_ water to the moon?”

“Maybe it's an error,” 2B suggested. “If the power was disconnected, even for a moment, perhaps –”

“No, it was manual data entry... approved by the Commander herself.”

“Strange,” said 2B, puzzled. “What else is there?”

“Thousands of files, sound files... data files... there's a lot of hypotheses on the aliens, their origins... earlier android models, prototype data...”

2B sighed. She hadn't really been sure what she had been hoping for.

“'Rank SS classified data' – this was above even the Commander...”

And now, 2B swallowed audibly. Was this the reason for...?

“Project YoRHa... it came _before_ the Council of Humanity? That doesn't make any sense...”

“No, it... mm, go on.”

“Well, this is...”

“What?”

“The whole of Project YoRHa – it's... it's all a sham. The Council was created entirely to... perpetuate a myth that humanity was still alive...”

Something tugged at the back of 2B's memory center. Something she'd heard before. She tried to pull the data string to the forefront of her mind, but it did not come.

“We were just... this whole war, it's just to 'increase android morale'... the ones that came before us, they knew, but we...”

“... we've been fighting without a purpose, this whole time?”

 _Command is the one that betrayed you._ There it was. That was what she was struggling to remember. The words of someone she had considered a traitor.

21S lowered her arms, breathing heavily.

“This is what he kept finding out, isn't it?”

“I... it must...” she tried to remember anything he'd managed to say before her blade cut him short, to no avail.

“I'm sorry,” 21S said quickly, shaking. “I shouldn't have mentioned that. Even so... this is...”

2B pushed herself off the wall, and put her arms around 21S.

“Don't apologise,” she whispered. “It's my fault. If I'd heard him out, even once, then maybe we –”

“And don't _you_ be stupid,” 21S mumbled back, into her ear. “If you heard him out, you would have been reset too.”

“Mm...”

“Was everything we did... was it all for nothing, in the end?”

“Perhaps,” replied 2B. “But we're still here, so...”

“So...?”

“So we have a duty to live on...”

“A duty to whom?”

“To ourselves...” she murmured, “and to them.”

They stood in silence for a while, embracing each other as they embraced the gravity of the situation.

“Let's go,” said 21S, after a while.

“Mm?”

“There's nothing more to be gained here.”

“We still don't know why the Bunker –”

“It's irrelevant now, don't you think?”

“I suppose.”

They clambered through the elevator shaft once more, in silence broken only by the sound of metal creaking as they pushed past the support beams.

“Do you still want to check your quarters?” asked 2B, pointing vaguely in that direction.

“I can't imagine much survived, but... alright.”

The door required some effort to prise open, as the power had ceased to flow to it – they ended up needing to rip one of the panels off entirely to gain access. The bed had come away from the wall, and the sheets were strewn all over the room. The window above the desk had shattered – or where the desk would have been, had it not become lodged in the far wall. Her bookshelf had come away from its fixings, and she bent down to pick some of them up.

“This was a gift from 6O,” 21S said quietly, dusting the cover off and checking the pages for damage. “It's an old world book on family psychology.”

“So, she knew about that, then...”

“She dragged it out of me, one night. She never made fun of me for it, but she never let it drop, either...”

“That sounds about right,” said 2B, the corners of her lips tugging upwards slightly for perhaps the first time in months.

“Oh, this...” whispered 21S, picking up her old operator mask and veil from the floor. The frame was a little bent, but the cloth remained intact. She opened the battered wardrobe door, and the rest of her old uniform spilled out, undamaged. She stared at it for a few minutes. “If I'd contested his request to stay on for another month...”

“Then 6O may have died alone, and you'd be dead along with her.”

“But 9S, he could have –”

“It's what he wanted,” 2B said, firmly. “He wanted to be with _her_. Taking that away from him... he'd be in a worse state right now than either of us are.”

21S looked back at her. It was a testament to her coming to terms with the situation that she could say something like that to her. She couldn't decide whether to smile or cry, but she was happy to see that 2B was acting more like herself as the days went by.

“I'm taking these back with me,” said 21S. “It's a shame your room wasn't attached to the other side...”

“There wasn't much in it, anyway,” replied 2B, thinking back.

“Mm,” said 21S, pulling her scarf up around her face again, then bundling her mementos into her arms. “Let's get going, before the sandstorm gets any worse.”

“Pod, status report.”

“Report: said sandstorm has not yet subsided. High winds persist. Proposal: keep orifices firmly shut.”

 

**

 

They rested together once more, after clearing their clothes, hair and joints from any traces of sand. They didn't sleep clothed, for once, and they felt each others' warmth as their own. Just as there was no trace of sand remaining clinging to them, neither was there any trace of pretence. They were simply two lost girls, clinging to each other, clinging to hope.

“I'm glad I'm here,” said 21S, softly.

“I think that expression is 'I'm glad _you're_ here',” whispered 2B, the faintest trace of a smile in her voice.

“Well, that too, but if I wasn't... I'm glad I'm here for you,” she corrected herself.

“I'm glad, too...” said 2B in hushed tones, her ear pressed to 21S's chest. She took comfort from the low hum of the other girl's black box. “There isn't a single thing you don't know about me now, you know...”

“I'm sure there has to be something,” murmured 21S, a little nervously.

“No, there's really nothing.”

“Is that so?”

“I'm a simple girl,” 2B replied, with a definite hint of a smile in her voice this time. “But even so, that's something that nobody else could say... that makes you special. For what it's worth, anyway.”

“Are you sure it's alright for us to be so close, so soon after...”

“After what we found out today, you mean?”

“Mm...”

“It's as you said, isn't it? It's irrelevant – in a sense, anyway. We'll go on mourning them, every day of our lives, and we'll go on mourning what we should have been fighting for, too, but... that doesn't mean we can't mourn those things together.”

21S allowed some of the tension in her muscles to relax.

“I suppose you're right...”

“I don't want much to change,” said 2B.

“Much?”

“I want to stay close to you,” she replied, somewhat sheepishly. “Closer.”

“I don't think we could get... much... cl...”

Her sentence began to trail off when she saw 2B's head coming closer to her own, followed by her lips. It was cut off entirely when she felt her lips meet her own. 21S didn't push back hard against her, but didn't fight it either.

2B broke away, after a little while.

“That wasn't for anyone else but you,” she whispered.

“I... knew.”

“Good,” came the reply, as 2B coaxed the other girl's lips to begin exploring hers.

21S melted into her embrace, finally feeling as far away from 'alone' as was possible. There was an itch at the back of her mind, but she pushed it away. There would be all the time in the world to discuss, to theorise, to go back and look for answers. This wasn't the time.

This time was theirs, and theirs alone.

 

**

 

_“They're totally gonna end up together, you know that, right?”_

_“Yeah, maybe,” replied 9O. “Wait, did you get that from Jupiter's Fortunes, or...?”_

_“Nuh-uh, and no maybes! You haven't heard the way 2B talks up 21S... well, you know how I used to be about 2B, don't you?”_

_“Oh, I remember that alright,” grinned 9O, wrapping his arms around her. “I'm glad that ship didn't sail, though.”_

_“I bet,” said 6O, flashing him a grin. “There's no way they won't, though. 2B's totally smitten. I just hope she can admit it, someday, you know? There's that big field op tomorrow, and god knows how long that's gonna take...”_

_“It'd be nice,” he muttered in return. “She's gotta open up to her first, though. The operator I know won't let just anyone in, and she definitely won't make the first move...”_

_“Hey, have faith in them... they're just as emotional as us, they're just... well, I think they skipped the class where they actually show it...”_

_9O dissolved into a fit of giggles imagining a furiously blushing 2B confessing to a stern 21S, whose expression only got sterner as the compliments flowed._

_“Huh? What's so funny?” 6O asked._

_“Nothing, nothing,” replied 9O. “Hey, though,” he went on, his giggles giving way to a gentle smile._

_“Mm?”_

_“You're amazing.”_

_“Oh, shh...”_

_They drifted off together._

_As they always did._

 


End file.
